A token of a faith already old when it was created, this lamp might have lit Jewish homes or temples centuries ago. 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. Featuring a two-tiered ridge and concentric circle decorative elements around the filling hole, this oil lamp is appealing to the eye. Plant motifs, perhaps ferns, line the nozzle thereby directing attention to the wick hole.