Rare Unique Solid Antique Roman Ancient Egyptian Bronze Oil Lamp, 2nd Century AD

UP for Auction… VERY UNIQUE Rare Solid Antique Roman Ancient Egyptian Bronze Oil Lamp, 2nd Century AD.

DIMENSIONS

+ 13.5 x 7.5 x 3.2 cm (5.4" x 3" x 1.3" Inches)
+ [153]  grams of weight.

CONDITIONS
+ Intact in original condition, No repairs or restoration
+ Place of Origin is Luxor / Egypt.
+ These Oil Lamps are Antique pieces meant only for Antique Collectors, Display or Educational purposes. Not intended to use with oil as it might cause burn and leakage....We never test it.



OIL LAMPS: Ancient Egyptian Roman oil lamps were practical and symbolic objects used for illumination and religious rituals. These lamps were typically made of clay and featured a circular reservoir for oil, with a spout for a wick. Decorative elements often adorned the lamps, including relief designs depicting mythological scenes, deities, animals, or geometric patterns. The lamps were fueled by olive oil or other vegetable oils, providing a steady flame for lighting indoor spaces. Additionally, oil lamps were used in religious ceremonies and funerary rites, symbolizing the eternal light of the afterlife and serving as offerings to the gods or to honor the deceased. They are valuable archaeological artifacts, providing insights into ancient Egyptian daily life, religious practices, and craftsmanship during the Roman period.

 

OIL LAMPS:  Roman era oil lamps were made of a variety of materials including stone, clay, shell, glass, and metal.

Stone
Stone lamps were usually carved; however, early stone lamps were simply stones with natural depressions.

Clay
Clay lamps were manufactured using a number of methods. They could be hand-molded, wheel thrown, or impressed into a mold. Some show signs of being made using a combination of these methods. Clay lamps make up the majority of lamps found in the archaeological record.

Glass
Lamps made of glass were blown and, unlike clay lamps, were capable of holding oil without the risk of seepage. They also projected light more efficiently than lamps of other materials. However, due to the presence of air bubbles, blown glass cannot stand up to the intensity of a direct flame the way clay or metal can. As a result, glass lamps tended to break easily. This may be one reason why they are found less often in the archaeological record.

Metal
Metal lamps were either cast or hammered into a mold, though casting seems to have been the method of choice. Bronze appears to have been the most common metal used, however, lamps of iron, lead, gold, silver, and copper have also been found. Although metal lamps were sturdier, and thus had a longer lifespan than lamps made of other materials, they often did not survive into the modern day. This is likely due to the fact that metal objects, especially those of precious metals such as gold, silver, and copper, were often melted down and reworked into something new.

Fuel and wicks
Besides the vessel itself, oil lamps also require some kind of fuel as well as a wick. Fuel types ranged from animal fat to bees wax to various plant based oils including olive oil, sesame oil, and grape-seed oil. Olive oil is believed to have been the primary source of fuel used in the Mediterranean. Wicks were any kind of fibrous material, typically linen, papyrus, or other plant fibers.