This beautifully mould-made Roman oil lamp from the Mid-Imperial period features a U-shaped nozzle, characteristic of lamps from 150 AD - 400 AD. It exemplifies the Bussière form D II 1, also known as a Loeschcke type VIII, with rings fashioned around the discus/motif, two lines on the handle, and the distinctive U-shaped nozzle. The discus depicts a dolphin, symbolically significant in ancient Roman times, influenced by Greek culture. A maker's mark is stamped on the reverse.
Provenance: Ex. deceased estate in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen.
Culture & Date: Roman Mid-Imperial, approx. 150 - 250 AD, likely from an African workshop.
Literature References:
Kelsall, P. (2018). Lighting the Ancient World. Getty.edu/publications.
Lightfoot, C. S. (2021). The Cesnola Collection of Cypriot Art: Terracotta Oil Lamps.
