Roman Bronze Oil Lamp - Bull Horn Handle

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 2nd century CE. An elegant cast bronze oil lamp featuring a handle in the form of two curved horns. The rest of the body is equally elegant: a symmetrical fill hole and sill with relief concentric circles, a narrow neck, and a flared spout with a wide lip that extends along the sides nearly to the fill hole. The curved horn symbol may also reference a crescent; bulls and particularly their broad horns symbolized power and virility to the Romans, while crescent-shaped hairpieces were associated with priestesses. Size: 5.55" W x 2.2" H (14.1 cm x 5.6 cm); 5.5" H (14 cm) on included custom stand.

Despite the prevalence of terracotta lamps, bronze oil lamps are among some of the rarest artifacts to come from the Roman Empire. Their scarcity, however, is a reminder of how everyday life would have been for the people who used them. Bronze examples like this were only affordable to upper class households due to the inherent cost and time associated with the processing, refinement, and ultimately casting of bronze. This particular example is much finer than the average, with its meticulous attention to detail and sturdy composition, and was probably created for and belonged to a member of the Roman elite who would have passed it down as a family heirloom.

Provenance: private Zaveloff collection, Lakewood, New Jersey, USA, acquired from Venus Gallery, Israel, in 2002

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#151325
Condition Report: Slight bending to handle tips. Otherwise form and details are nicely preserved with a smooth, mottled green patina.