Late Hellenistic, Egyptian Terracotta Decorated Oil Lamp

£ 120.00

A fine Late Hellenistic, Egyptian terracotta oil lamp featuring two protruding lugs and a lovely, neat decorative engraving. The lamp features a biconical body and a short nozzle with a flared tip and small, oval wick-hole. The discus is narrow and ringed by a ridge, from which a pattern of radiate, linear incisions extend. Two diagonal lines run from the base of the discus around the bridge of the nozzle, between which features a four-pointed star and two outwards-facing spirals. A small, rounded lug protrudes on the left side, and a large triangular lug features at the back. The lug is decorated with a sphere at the centre-base and a continuous outlining ridge. The reverse of the lamp is undecorated and displays a raised, circular foot. Some minor wear and earthy encrustations to the surface.

Date: Circa 125-100 BC
Provenance: Ex. De Magdy Collection, 1970s, UK.
Condition: Very fine. Some minor wear and earthy encrustations to the surface.

SOLD

SKU: KW-119 Category: Tags: ,

This particular shaped oil lamp was prolific during the Hellenistic period of the 3rd-1st Century BC. The rise of mould-made lamps allowed for mass reproduction of oil lamps, as well as greater versatility in their size, shape, and decoration. They were produced in two halves, each of which comprised a layer of damp clay, impressed in a mould before the two halves of the mould were pressed together. This piece could potentially belong to the Mlynarczyk Type A Classification (Ref: Alexandrian and Alexandria-Influenced Mould-Made Lamps of the Hellenistic Period – By Jolanta Mlynarczyk). However, classification is still quite fluid, due in part to the many variants found on examples. The type is identified by its double-convex body, conical nozzle, concave rim to filling hole surrounded by a groove, and single side lug. Lamps of this type were one of the early types of Egyptian mould-made lamps, believed to be inspired by Rhodian wheel-made lamps of Howland type 32 during the Hellenistic period. This piece, with its dark red colouring, suggests an Egyptian origin. Asia Minor examples are often made using grey clay, in comparison.

To discover more about oil lamps in Antiquity, please visit our relevant blog post: Lighting The Way.

Weight 44.12 g
Dimensions L 8.4 x W 5.1 x H 2 cm
Culture

,

Region

Pottery and Porcelain

Reference: For a similar item,The British Museum, item pl. 3.19, p. 176. no.21

You may also like…