Ancient Roman oil lamps would usually have a tank, a pouring hole, a nozzle and a handle. With an oil lamp filler such as this one, the tank would be filled with oil through the pouring hole. A wick was inserted through the nozzle and would be ignited: like the wax of a candle, the oil would have served as a slow fuel for the flame. Oil lamps a main source of interior lighting in Ancient Rome.
To discover more about the ancient origins of oil lamps, visit our relevant post: Oil Lamps in Antiquity.
