Roman Early Christian Terracotta Oil Lamp

3RD-4TH CENTURY A.D.

4 in. (64 grams, 10 cm).

With decorated bow shaped nozzle, large central filling-hole surrounded by a dotted ridge, shoulder decorated by geometric patterns; the handle shaped as a human face representing a head of Christ or a saint.

Provenance

Collected from 1970-1999.
From the collection of the late Mr S.M., London, UK.

Literature

Cf. Porat, R., Davidovich, U., Langford, B., Zissu, B., 'Votive Offerings from the Late Roman Period in the Te' omim Cave, Western Jerusalem Hills' in Taal, O., Weiss, Z., Expression of Cult in Southern Levant in the Greco-Roman period, Turnhout, 2017, pp.111-130.

Footnotes

The lamp seems to be a variant of the type Beit Nattif lamps, usually with pyramidal handle (here substituted by a head of a saint or Christ) and a reddish slip on the upper part. This was the most widespread type of lamps in use in Judaea in the Late Roman Period.

CONDITION

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LOT 0794