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Ancient
Oil Lamps |
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The lamp pictured
above is a Greco-Roman mold-made lamp which was probably used
in a tomb or chapel sometime between 100-300 A.D.
These lamps are from
the Martin and Boughman Antiquities Collection.
Please note that this collection
represents the "low end" of examples of ancient oil
lamps. These are lamps that would be found in the homes and tombs
of the common man. Certainly, there were more exotic, expensive
and larger examples produced in bronze, gold, and beautifully
formed clay. However, what you can see in this limited collection
is a transition, an evolution, from the simple forms of the earliest
times to the more modern examples of Greek and Roman pottery art.
The lamps burned olive oil and had wicks made of flax.
The clay used varied in color
and texture according to where it was dug from the earth. Colors
vary from white to black, coarse to fine. The lamps were fired
for strength and by the 300's B.C. were often burnished (smoothed
up on the outside) to seal the pores and prevent the olive oil
from seeping out.
Also, there remains a question
about the terms scholars use to date pottery. Please scroll to
the end and you'll find a chart that probably tells you more than
you ever wanted to know about archelogical dating.
Marvin Hunt
The Earliest Lamp?
It is thought that the earliest lamps
were simply bowls with a wick drooped over the edge. The date
and origin of the first oil lamp is unknown--albeit one of the
greatest inventions ever known to mankind.
Middle Bronze lamp
with one a pinch spout (MB I) 2250-2000 B.C.
The transition from a simple bowl to
a lamp can be seen in the Early Bronze Age examples. These are
true lamps where the potter pinched and pulled the edge thus making
a place for the wick to lay.
Middle Bronze Age lamps
with four Spouts (MB II A) 2000-1730 B.C.
These are lamps with four wick rests.
They were made by folding four parts toward the center. The use
of this style of lamp lasted about 250 years and then disappeared
forever. This style existed alongside the earlier "single
pinch" lamps.
Late Bronze (LB IIA)
1400-1300 B.C.
These lamps are known for their large capacity deep
bowl. The example shown is made of a very fine grade of clay and
reminds one of a fragile sea shell because of its thin fragile
walls.
Iron Age I (1200-1000
B.C.) Time of the Israelite Settlement
The two parts of the rim are folded to meet each
other. This creates seperate openings for the oil and the wick.
However, it would be almost 1000 years before the idea of a closed
lamp caught on.
Iron Age II (1000-721
B.C.) Northern Kingdom of Israel
This lamp features a pinched spout, flared rim and
a low flat base.
Iron Age II (1000-587
B.C.) Southern Kingdom of Israel
This lamp style incorporated a thick base or pedestal
and was developed and used exclusively in southern Israel during
the Divided Kingdom. The example in the picture is filled with
a solid sediment that may have accumulated from water dripping
from the roof of the tomb for more than 1000 years?
Persian Empire Period
(587-333 B.C.)
The wick rest is higher than the rim. The lamp has
a wide flat base which seems impractical for holding a large quantity
of oil. It was the responsibility of the woman of the house to
keep the lamp burning--day and night. Between trimming the wick
and filling the lamp, it seems reasonable to assume that these
duties would be done several times per night.
Hellenistic Period:
meaning under Greek cultural influences (332-142 B.C.)
The lamps are fully closed except for a central
hole for the oil and a wick hole in the spout.
Herodian :The times
of Herod the Great and his family (57 B.C.-135 A.D.)
This lamp's distinguishing characteristic is the
"spatulated spout" which is slightly flared on the tip
and cut off on an angle. The body was made on a potter's wheel
and then the spout was attached. Notice the smooth burnished exterior
to prevent the oil from seeping out.
Roman-Christian (New
Testament times)
This typical round lamp is missing its handle.
Byzantine: The period
after the transfer of the Roman capital to Constantinople in 330
A.D.
This lamp is in the round-Roman style, but displays
a Christian cross.
Jewish Seven Hole Lamp
(New Testament times)
Jewish Menorah Lamp
(New Testament times)
My Office: January
2000 (The lamps in a modern perspective assembled around my computer)
The camera used is a Kodak 215 Digital purchased
by supporters of BibleHistory.com. The excellent quality of the
photos speak for themselves.
Ages of History
(note that these dates are in distpute at least 100
years each way)
* Paleolithic (old stone age)
* Neolithic (new stone age) 6000-3000 B.C.E.
* Early Bronze 3000-2000 B.C.E. (Introduction of metal tools made
of copper which evolved into a copper/tin mixture called bronze)
* Middle Bronze 2000-1580 B.C.
* Late Bronze 1580-1100 B.C.
* Early Iron 1100-725 B.C.
* Middle Iron 725-600 B.C.
* Later Iron
* Persian
* Hellenistic
* Roman
Chronological Table
The Neolithic Period (Pottery Neolithic) 6000-5000 B.C.
The Chalcolithic (Copper-Stone) Period 4000 B.C.
The Early Bronze I (EBI) Period 3100-2900 B.C.
The Early Bronze II (EBII) Period 2900-2650 B.C.
The Early Bronze III (EBIII) Period 2650-2350 B.C.
The Early Bronze IV (EBIV) Period 2350-2250/2200
The Middle Bronze I (MBI) Period 2250/2200-2000/1950
The Middle Bronze IIA (MBIIA) Period 2000/1950-1730 B.C.
The Middle Bronze IIB-C (MBII B-C) Period 1730-1550 B.C.
The Late Bronze I (LBI) Period 1550-1400 B.C.
The Late Bronze II A (LBIIA) Period 1400-1300 B.C.
The Late Bronze IIB (LBIIB) Period 1300-1200 B.C.
The Iron I Perioc 1200-1000 B.C.
The Iron IIA Period 1000-900 B.C.
The Iron II B Period 900-800 B.C.
The Iron II C Period 800-586 B.C.
Persian 600-332 B.C.
Hellenistic 332-142 B.C.
Hasmonean 142-37 B.C.
Roman 37-325 A.D.
Herodian 37B.C.-73 A.D.
Byzantine 325-638 A.D.
Islam 638-1000 A.D.
The Common Era 1000-1900 A.D.
