A lamp such as this might have lit homes at the dawn of the Christian era. 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 has a reddish-orange hue and decorative elements that suggest North African origin. It features abstract geometric detail that has maintained a very fine condition over the years. Concentric circles with elevated parallel markings surround the filling hole, while more concentric circles alternate with concentric triangles in a unique pattern around the shoulders of the oil lamp.