A lamp such as this might have lit homes during the life of Christ. 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 oil lamp is wonderfully smooth and rounded. As characteristic of Hellenistic oil lamps, the nozzle, blackened with use, is attenuated.