Roman Oil Lamp

A lamp such as this might have lit homes when the Roman Empire ruled the world. A metaphor of joy and prosperity, for hope, for life itself, lamps have illuminated the path of civilization for centuries. They have guided great thoughts through the night, stood vigil with lonely passions. In the presence of this simple object, we are in touch directly with a vanished world, with the people once warmed by its glow. Today it remains as an enduring symbol of man’s desire to conquer the darkness. This particular lamp features geometric decorative elements that include concentric triangles, parallel hatch patterns, and stray lines, rendering the vessel effortlessly beautiful. A natural filling hole compliments the blackened, and more rounded mouth. – (LK.327)