Judea “Darom” Style Oil Lamp

£ 150.00

This fine Roman Holy Land oil lamp of semi-elongated shape is decorated with radial fluting that surrounds the large central filling hole. Between the shoulder pattern and the arched nozzle is an ornament of a circle containing a cross. The nozzle is flanked by half volutes which encroach on the shoulder and extend down to the base of the lamp. The rear of the lamp features a small, unpierced handle.

Date: Circa 1st-3rd Century AD
Condition: Fine, signs of wear to the surface.

SOLD

This form of lamp can be referred to the “Darom” style, after the region in which lamps of this type were produced. Such lamps were mainly used in the southern part of Roman Judea and are dated between the destruction of the Second Temple during the First Jewish War in 70 AD, and the Bar Kochba Revolt in 150 AD. These lamps are distinguished by their shape with an arched nozzle flanked by concavities and half volutes, and always feature a small knob handle, whether pierced or unpierced. Sometimes containing Jewish iconography, the decoration of the lamps commonly features circular, linear, floral and geometric patterns.

Weight 35.2 g
Dimensions L 7.8 x W 4.8 cm
Culture

Pottery and Porcelain

Region