In Antiquity, a lamp was originally called a ‘lychnus‘, from the Greek ‘λυχνος’, with the oldest Roman lamps dating back to the third century BC. It is thought that the Romans took the idea for lamps from the Greek colonies of Southern Italy. During the Roman Empire, it became commonplace to use lamps in funeral ceremonies and for public purposes. This particular example is rendered in the Herodian style, a group which appeared during the reign of King Herod the Great of Judaea, the Roman province of Palestine. These lamps were typically wheel-thrown and with a hand-formed nozzle with curved sides. Their usage was primarily limited to the region of Judaea.
To discover more about oil lamps in Antiquity, please visit our relevant blog post: Lighting The Way.