Hellenistic Oil Lamp from Asia Minor

$246.42

A mouldmade greyware oil lamp from Hellenistic Asia Minor. It comprises a biconical body; two narrow, nearly rectangular side-lugs; and a ribbon handle with median groove. The lamp features a slightly depressed discus which is separated from the shoulder by a circular ridge with median groove. The discus is plain and pierced by a central filling hole. The nozzle is long and rounded, with a large, near-circular flat plate surrounding the wick hole. The shoulder is decorated by four garlands of heart-shaped leaves alternating with four rosettes, as well as by a human head in high relief on the nozzle top. The lamp stands on a raised circular base-ring.

Date: Late 2nd – early 1st century BC
Period: Hellenistic Period
Provenance: From the collection of Arno Jumpertz, Leverkusen, Germany, 1924-1984. Much of the collection was exhibited at Neus museum, 1985.
Condition: Fine, some earthy encrustations and marks of ageing on the surface. The handle has been repaired.

SOLD

SKU: OB-28 Category: Tags: ,

The dark grey/black colouring of this lamp is characteristic of the ‘Ephesus’ production, the city in which great numbers of this lamp type and its moulds have been found. The twin lugs and ribbon handle are also typical of ‘Ephesus lamps’, which were originally developed as imitations of bronze models. Indeed, the shape of these lamps changed little over the course of almost 200 years that they were popular in Greece and the Mediterranean.

Weight 64.4 g
Dimensions L 10.4 x W 8.4 x H 4.6 cm
Culture

Pottery and Porcelain

Region

Reference: Jean Bussière and Birgitta Lindros Wohl, ‘Ancient Lamps in the J. Paul Getty Museum’, 2017, similar to no. 49 and 50 in shape.