The Roman oil lamp, a product almost unparalleled in its distribution throughout the Empire, developed towards the end of the Hellenistic period and was to keep its general shape longer than any other item of pottery throughout the Mediterranean. 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.
Oil lamps such as this example resemble the Loeschcke type II in their angular nozzle and circular discus. A specific place of manufacture or origin, however, has yet to been given to this item. The closest parallels found to date are all from the Levant, Lebanon, and Syria, pointing to a Near Eastern origin.
To discover more about oil lamps in Antiquity, please visit our relevant blog post: Lighting The Way.
