It is during the Hellenistic period that we see the transition from wheel-made lamps to mould-made lamps, and from open top to closed lamps featuring a filling hole. They were made in two halves, each of which comprised a layer of damp clay, impressed in a mould before the two halves of the the mould were pressed together. The new method allowed for the mass reproduction of oil lamps, as well as greater versatility in their size and shape. With the new methods of creating oil lamps came new approaches to their decoration and designs, with both decorative and symbolic nature become more common. The old fashion of decorating with ornamentation or drawings was replaced by the new form of decorations in relief, created either by stamping or engraving.
This lamp can be categorised as Goldman’s group IX, characterised by the long nozzle and volutes to the side.
To discover more about oil lamps in Antiquity, please visit our relevant blog post: Lighting The Way.
