ROMAN BRONZE OILLAMP
Dimensions: Height 5 cm Wide 5 cm Depth 10 cm
Weight: 271 grams
A compact bronze oil lamp of elongated, boat-like form, with a broad rounded rear rising above a tapering, projecting front. A short chain is attached near the raised end and lies across the upper surface. Its green and turquoise patina, with patches of exposed brown metal, brings out the simple, strongly modelled profile.
Oil lamps were indispensable throughout the ancient Mediterranean, illuminating houses, workshops and places of worship. Bronze examples were less common than ceramic lamps and offered a durable medium for a variety of practical shapes and fittings. The projecting end of a lamp would ordinarily accommodate a wick, with oil held in the reservoir.
The durable bronze construction and functional design express the enduring appeal of Roman metalwork. Its appeal lies in the restrained form and richly weathered surface.
Dimensions: Height 5 cm Wide 5 cm Depth 10 cm
Weight: 271 grams
A compact bronze oil lamp of elongated, boat-like form, with a broad rounded rear rising above a tapering, projecting front. A short chain is attached near the raised end and lies across the upper surface. Its green and turquoise patina, with patches of exposed brown metal, brings out the simple, strongly modelled profile.
Oil lamps were indispensable throughout the ancient Mediterranean, illuminating houses, workshops and places of worship. Bronze examples were less common than ceramic lamps and offered a durable medium for a variety of practical shapes and fittings. The projecting end of a lamp would ordinarily accommodate a wick, with oil held in the reservoir.
The durable bronze construction and functional design express the enduring appeal of Roman metalwork. Its appeal lies in the restrained form and richly weathered surface.
