Oil lamp with the head of Bes

Oil lamp with the head of Bes

Date
Hellenistic Period
(4th – 1st century BC)
Dimensions
Length: 100mm
Width: 60mm
Medium
Terracotta
image alt text

Oil lamp with an opening for pouring oil in the centre of the discus encircled by an astragal pattern. The nozzle shows the head of Bes (protective deity) with large ears, prominent nose, mouth and a long beard; small lug. Lamps were used not only for interior lighting, in funeral ceremonies, and festivals dedicated to deities. This made them an integral part of the life of ancient societies. They were small ceramic, metal or glass vessels of various shapes. An oil lamp consisted of a filling hole and a nozzle with a hole for a wick, which was immersed in a container filled with oil or animal fat. Depending on the period, the discs of the lamps were decorated with various motifs.

Gallery

Comments are closed.