A lamp such as this might have lit homes in the Holy Land during the Biblical Age. A metaphor for joy and prosperity, for hope, for life itself, lamps have illuminated the path of civilization for centuries, shedding light on mundane and extraordinary events alike, guiding great thoughts through the night, and standing vigil with lonely passions. In the presence of this simple object, we are in touch directly with a vanished world, with the rooms and temples once warmed by its glow, with the people who drew comfort from its light. Today it remains as an enduring symbol of man's desire to conquer the darkness.