ITEM: Oil lamp with animals (birds, donkey) MATERIAL: Pottery CULTURE: Christian PERIOD: 5th - 7th Century A.D DIMENSIONS: 24 mm x 65 mm x 90 mm CONDITION: Good condition PROVENANCE: Ex German private collection, acquired before 2000s Christian oil lamps are a category of ancient lighting devices that played both practical and symbolic roles in early Christian communities from the 3rd to the 7th centuries CE. Typically made of terracotta, these lamps were small, portable, and fueled by olive oil. What distinguishes Christian lamps from their pagan or Jewish counterparts is the presence of explicitly Christian iconography, such as the chi-rho (☧), fish (ichthys), crosses, doves, and biblical scenes, all of which conveyed spiritual messages or served as expressions of faith. These lamps were especially prominent in the eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, and parts of Italy, often discovered in catacombs, churches, and burial sites. Their imagery functioned as a discreet yet powerful visual language in a time when Christianity was not always publicly accepted. Even after the Edict of Milan (313 CE), when Christianity gained legal status, oil lamps continued to be used as tools of devotion and memorialization, sometimes inscribed with prayers or names of the deceased. Their presence in funerary contexts reinforced the Christian association between light and eternal life, echoing scriptural metaphors like “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Over time, the design and production of Christian oil lamps became more standardized, especially in centers like North Africa, where mass production through molds allowed for widespread dissemination. Despite their humble function, these lamps are crucial to understanding early Christian identity, theology, and daily practice. Their motifs offer insight into how early believers navigated religious expression, combining the utilitarian with the sacred in a form that illuminated both physical and spiritual darkness. Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export license If you bid outside the European Union and win the item, we will have to apply for an export licence for your country and shipping will take 3 to 5 weeks.