Middelalder, Korsfarernes Æra Marmor olie lampe

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Holy Land oil lamp, made of carved marble with a rounded body, circular filling hole, flat rim and a tapering nozzle for the wick. The form is simple and functional, made from a single piece of stone and designed for practical domestic or devotional use. The lamp has a fantastic patina and wear consisting with age and use.

-> These type of lamps were used during the Crusades in the Holy Land. Stone and marble lamps are less common than terracotta examples and offered a more durable alternative for lighting in the ancient world. Their solid material and restrained form reflect a preference for lasting utility.

Height: ± 70 mm
Length: ± 104,7 mm
Weight: ± 532 g

Good and solid condition, appealing patina, signs of wear consistent with age and use.
Certificate of Authenticity: available upon request (pdf-format).

-> Oil lamps were an essential part of daily life in antiquity, used to provide light in houses, workshops, shrines, and tombs. Most ancient lamps were made in clay, but examples in stone, marble, and metal are also known. These more durable versions may have been chosen for repeated use, for wealthier households, or for settings where a more permanent object was desired.

The basic principle of the ancient oil lamp remained remarkably consistent over many centuries: oil was poured into the reservoir, while a wick extended through the nozzle and was lit to provide a steady flame. Objects such as this show how even the most practical items of everyday life could be adapted into durable and carefully shaped forms, combining utility with the enduring qualities of carved stone.


-> The Holy Land was conquered by the Roman general Pompey the Great in 63 BC. The Romans deposed the ruling Hasmonean dynasty and installed Herod the Great as a Roman client King of Judea. Jewish-Roman tensions resulted in several Jewish-Roman wars and the destruction of Jerusalem. In the course of the 1st and 2nd centuries AD Christianity began to develop. Constantine the Great was the first Roman Emperor to convert to Christianity in 312 AD.

In 634 the Muslim conquests began, during which many Jews rose up against the Eastern Roman rulers.