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 Roman oil lamp features very unique decorative elements on the discus that surrounds the filling hole. Concentric semi-circles originating from the lamp's shoulders are filled with raised lines that point towards the filling hole, while the filling hole itself is surrounded by a beaded pattern.