Roman Terracotta Oil Lamp with Decoration

£75.00

An ancient Roman terracotta oil lamp featuring an elongated oval body and a circular discus. A raised ridge surrounds the discus, which continues around the large nozzle hole to form a broad canal. A solid spike like handle sits at the top of the lamp. The discus, with a filling hole at its centre, is decorated with a motif in low relief which is now partly faded due to age, possibly depicting a kantharos. Two palm branches run along the shoulder, bordering the discus. To the reverse, the lamp is enriched with three vertical lines on the back of the handle and the base is slightly concave. The lamp exhibits some blackening around the nozzle from use.

Date: Circa 3rd-4th century AD
Provenance: Ex J. R. Mothersole collection, Scotland, UK, acquired 1940's-1990's.
Condition: Fine condition. Minor chip to filling hole. Some surface flaking on the sides. Hairline cracks near the base. Old collector’s labels remain on the reverse.

SOLD

SKU: CY-218 Category: Tag:

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. The vast trade networks set with the expansion of the Roman Empire allowed this item to be spread across Europe, Eastern Asia and Northern Africa, which led to the development of several provincial variations. This oil lamp resembles the characteristics of Atlante type X; Hayes type II. This style of oil lamp originated in North Africa, specifically Tunisia, but was broadly exported and then imitated all over the Roman Empire.

‘Kantharoi’ were an ancient Greek drinking vessel, used to hold wine. They were an attribute of the god of wine, Dionysus, who was also associated with vegetation and fertility.

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

Weight 77.0 g
Dimensions L 8.5 x W 5.3 x H 3.5 cm
Culture

Region

Pottery and Porcelain

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