Multi-Nozzle Oil Lamp from Roman Judaea

£ 400.00

A finely modelled Ancient Roman terracotta oil lamp from the province of Judaea. The lamp features a D-shaped body with one filling hole to the discus, three rounded nozzles and a single applied, pieced handle.The lamp’s shoulders and body appear enriched by a moulded decoration consisting of geometrical patterns and shapes inspired by palm leaves.

Date: Circa 3rd - 5th century AD
Provenance: Private Israel collection, SM. Israeli export license for the collection.
Condition: Fine, complete and intact with some earthly encrustations to the surface and black deposit to the nozzles.

SOLD

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. During the Roman Empire, it became commonplace to use lamps in funeral ceremonies and for public purposes. Over time, the manufacture of lamps increased, and so did the variation in decoration, which depended mainly on the shape and size of the lamp. Common decorative themes depicted on the discus were entertainment scenes, such as gladiators in combat, popular myths, and domestic animals. A lamp with more than two nozzles was called a polymyxus. The number of nozzles was not limited but vast quantities found only have one, making this nice example a rare find.

Weight 93.3 g
Dimensions L 10.7 x W 5.9 x H 5.2 cm
Culture

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Pottery and Porcelain

Region

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