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Genuine, Gorgeous, Intricately Patterned, Exceptionally Well Preserved Ancient Roman/Caananite/Phoenician/Early Christian Holyland (Palestine) Terra Cotta Oil Lamp about 100 A.D.

CLASSIFICATION: Very Elaborate Roman/Holyland Terra Cotta Oil Lamp with Six Icon Panels and Handle of Caananite/Phoenician Influence.

ATTRIBUTION: Eastern Roman Empire (Palestine), 1st Century A.D.

SIZE/MEASUREMENTS:

Length: 90 millimeters (3 2/3 inches)

Width: 68 millimeters (2 3/4 inches)

Height: 47 millimeters (1 7/8 inches).

CONDITION: Excellent. Very fine integrity, no cracks, breaks, or repairs. Slight wear around fill hole and wick hole consistent with use (chip near wick hole as well). Carbon black (soot) around wick hole area. Some hard sand deposits from burial.

DETAIL: This is an exceptionally well-preserved terracotta oil lamp dated to the 1st century A.D. Its origin is the area referred to as "The Holy Land", during Roman occupation, the province of Palestine. The top surface of the oil lamp portrays six (and a portion of two more) very stylized semi-circular panels with icons within. Unfortunately over thousands of years symbols which originally had significance in myth or legend will lose their meaning. Although we can make out some of the symbols, and are sure that each of the six had significance, we are unable to distinguish each of them. One of the six is clearly a palm tree, very similar to the depictions of palm trees on the coinage of the era. A second appears to be a fig tree. A third we are relatively sure is a cross within a diamond - which might a depiction of a star. Two of the remaining three seem to be stylized eyes - originally a pagan symbol intended to confer protection against "the evil eye", that wounding, sometimes deadly, glance received from those who were powerfully evil. These symbols were the wearer's shield against the dark arts.

The six panels are arranged along the perimeter of the piece, as can be seen, three to a side. As you can see, there are partial panels at the handle - call them number seven and eight. But neither is complete. In ancient times these oil lamps were made utilizing molds, top and bottom fashioned separately. Presumably whatever portion of the top half which did not fit onto the bottom part was simply loped off. In between the fill hole and the wick hole is a complex serpentine design which resembles one and one-half figure eights. This is a very complex design to come out of the area of ancient Palestine, and it seems to have heavy Caananite influence. The Caananites, as they were known in the Bible, were the late Phoenicians, and occupied the area North of Palestine and Judaea. Aside from the very complex design is also a raised handle, and beneath a very pronounced and well-shaped foot.

The design present on the top, as can be seen, is even after the passage of almost 2,000 years, still quite sharp and distinct. Though by no means rare, it is uncommon to find such a nice design in such an exceptionally well-preserved state. Best as our research can determine, it seems probable that this lamp was produced in the Roman/Syrian Province of Phoenice - present-day Lebanon. It is a very robust specimen, heavily constructed, and of larger dimensions that the typical oil lamp found in the region. The lamp is much darker in color "in the flesh" than shown here in the flash photography. It is a medium brown with terra cotta undertones. In ancient times oil was filled into the center hole, and a wick in the front hole. You can even see distinct traces of soot on this specimen around the wick hole, the residue of ancient lamp black carbon. The lamp is in exceedingly good condition, with no cracks or chips other than the previously mentioned chip near the wick hole (as shown in the images herewith) - a minor blemish expected of such an ancient artifact.

HISTORY: Pottery is amongst the most abundant artifacts unearthed during excavations of Roman sites. Abundant throughout the empire, specimens such as this were even routinely and systematically exported by the Romans. Manufactured throughout the empire, from Gaul to Italy, the product was widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean world and the Roman colonies from Britain to Asia Minor. Pitchers like this were utilitarian implements both for the kitchen and dining table. Most terra cotta pieces such as this were functional kitchen items, and tended to be rather plain. The most widely used pottery in the ancient world were oil lamps, bottles, unguentariums, pitchers, bowls and plates. Their basic shapes remained unchanged for over a thousand years. The bottles and pitchers were used to store wine, water, oil and other liquids.

One of the greatest civilizations of recorded history was the ancient Roman Empire. In exchange for a very modest amount of contemporary currency, you can possess a small part of that great civilization in the form of a 2,000 year old piece of jewelry. The Roman civilization, in relative terms the greatest military power in the history of the world, was founded in the 8th century (B.C.). In the 4th Century (B.C.) the Romans were the dominant power on the Italian Peninsula, having defeated the Etruscans and Celts. In the 3rd Century (B.C.) the Romans conquered Sicily, and in the following century defeated Carthage, and controlled the Greece. Throughout the remainder of the 2nd Century (B.C.) the Roman Empire continued its gradual conquest of the Hellenistic (Greek Colonial) World by conquering Syria and Macedonia; and finally came to control Egypt in the 1st Century (B.C.).

The pinnacle of Roman power was achieved in the 1st Century (A.D.) as Rome conquered much of Britain and Western Europe. For a brief time, the era of "Pax Romana", a time of peace and consolidation reigned. Civilian emperors were the rule, and the culture flourished with a great deal of liberty enjoyed by the average Roman Citizen. However within 200 years the Roman Empire was in a state of steady decay, attacked by Germans, Goths, and Persians. In the 4th Century (A.D.) the Roman Empire was split between East and West. The Great Emperor Constantine temporarily arrested the decay of the Empire, but within a hundred years after his death the Persians captured Mesopotamia, Vandals infiltrated Gaul and Spain, and the Goths even sacked Rome itself. Most historians date the end of the Western Roman Empire to 476 (A.D.) when Emperor Romulus Augustus was deposed. However the Eastern Roman Empire (The Byzantine Empire) survived until the fall of Constantinople in 1453 AD.

At its peak, the Roman Empire stretched from Britain in the West, throughout most of Western, Central, and Eastern Europe, and into Asia Minor. Valuables such as coins and jewelry were commonly buried for safekeeping, and inevitably these ancient citizens would succumb to one of the many perils of the ancient world. Oftentimes the survivors of these individuals did not know where the valuables had been buried, and today, two thousands years later caches of coins and rings are still commonly uncovered throughout Europe and Asia Minor. Roman Soldiers oftentimes came to possess large quantities of "booty" from their plunderous conquests, and routinely buried their treasure for safekeeping before they went into battle.

If they met their end in battle, most often the whereabouts of their treasure was likewise, unknown. Throughout history these treasures have been inadvertently discovered by farmers in their fields, uncovered by erosion, and the target of unsystematic searches by treasure seekers. With the introduction of metal detectors and other modern technologies to Eastern Europe in the past three or four decades, an amazing number of new finds are seeing the light of day 2,000 years or more after they were originally hidden by their past owners. And with the liberalization of post-Soviet Eastern Europe, new markets have opened eager to share in these treasures of the Roman Empire.

The ancient empire of Phoenicia, destined to become both part of the Hellenic and Roman Empires, was in its own right one of the more significant ancient cultures in the world's history. The area that ultimately became known as Phoenicia (derived from the Greek name Phoinikes) was at the western end of the Fertile Crescent, and was settled sometime around 3000 B.C. There anthropologists believe that the westward expansion of these peoples from Mesopotamia met the Mediterranean. The earliest record of the Phoenicians is from about 1600 B.C. There they developed one of the earliest ancient and great seafaring Western cultures, using commerce as their principal motivation and source of influence. In fact, their name for themselves seems to have been Kena'ani (or Canaanites), a word which in Hebrew means "merchants." The prophet Ezekiel in his Biblical foretelling of the fall of one of Phoenicia's great cities, Tyre, reviews the extensive scope of Phoenician trade.

It is believed that Byblos was the first city founded in Phoenicia, followed shortly thereafter by Tyre and Sidon. The later two cities gained prominence after about 1300 B.C., when Byblos was repeatedly sacked and razed by successive waves of raiders. The Phoenicians had developed a vast commercial empire with settlements which stretched as far as North Africa and the coast of Spain. Phoenicia was centered along the coast of what is now Lebanon, but as the centuries past it expanded along the coast north and south, and then eventually into the Western Mediterranean founding great cities like Utica and Carthage. Ultimately conflict between the Phoenician and Roman Empires in the 3rd century B.C. (the Punic Wars) led to its total destruction, dispersion of its forces and people, and, for all practical purposes, the end of the era of Phoenicia's part in the development of the Mediterranean. However the Phoenician people themselves continued to thrive, trade, and flourish, despite their incorporation into the Roman province of Syria.

These antiquities come from a number of collections which by and large originated here in Eastern Europe. As well, additional specimens are occasionally acquired from other institutions and dealers, principally in Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. All of these artifacts are now in the United States and are available for immediate delivery via U.S. Mail. All purchases are backed by an unlimited guarantee of satisfaction and authenticity. If for any reason you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for a complete and immediate refund of your entire purchase price.

SHIPPING: These antiquities come from a number of collections which by and large originated here in Eastern Europe. As well, additional specimens are occasionally acquired from other institutions and dealers, principally in Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. All of these artifacts are now in the United States and are available for immediate delivery via U.S. Mail. All purchases are backed by an unlimited guarantee of satisfaction and authenticity. If for any reason you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for a complete and immediate refund of your entire purchase price. A certificate of authenticity (COA) is available upon request.

Our order fulfillment center near Seattle, Washington will ship your purchase within one business day of receipt of your personal check or money order. If you wish to pay electronically, we accept both PayPal and BidPay. However we ask that you PLEASE WAIT before remitting until we have mutually agreed upon method of shipment and shipping charges and you understand our PayPal limitations and policies (stated here). We will ship within one business day of our receipt of your electronic remittance.

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