Roman Period 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. The oil lamp shown boasts a simple, minimal raised-line pattern that arrives at a diagonal on the discus, but always points towards the filling hole. It fades away towards the nozzle, where more floral motifs take shape on a smooth background. – (LK.300)