Ancient Roman Terracotta Erotic Oil Lamp

£ 3,000.00

A striking Roman terracotta oil lamp featuring a circular body with a decorated discus, a rounded shoulder volute nozzle, and a grooved ring handle. Within a concentric circle, broken only by two legs of the bed, an erotic, heterosexual scene is depicted on the concave discus. The female figure, supported by an opulent, curving bed, is depicted on all fours, with her right arm resting on a tasseled cushion. The male figure kneels behind her, pressing his left hand on the small of her back and resting his right hand on his hip. His torso is turned towards the viewer at a three-quarter’s angle, detailed with naturalistic musculature. His face, viewed in profile, is angled down towards his female companion, while she looks straight ahead. Between the two figures, a hint of the male figure’s phallus has been rendered, adding to this highly detailed scene. The shoulders of the lamp are undecorated, focusing the viewer’s attention on the tantalising erotic scene. There is a filling hole above the left arm of the male figure and a smaller hole at the top of the nozzle. The lamp sits on a flattened ring foot.

This lamp is categorised as Loeschcke type V, characterised by its rounded nozzle and its shoulder volute.

Date: Circa 1st Century AD
Provenance: From a Cambridge, UK, collection; previously in a UK county collection
Condition: Fine condition. Burn marks to the nozzle. Some discolouration and very minor chipping to the surface, particularly to the edges, ring foot, and sides. Discus is clear and legible.

SOLD

Product Code: RES-261
Categories: , Tags: ,

Oil lamps, or a lychnus, from the Greek λυχνος, were commonplace throughout the Roman Empire, and were used for domestic, public, and religious purposes. These included funeral ceremonies, lighting up businesses, and creating ‘special effects’ at the theatre. The oldest Roman lamps date back to the third century BC, and it is thought that they were influenced by the Southern Italic style. These were more enclosed than their predecessors, allowing for further decoration on the discus. The vast trade networks set with the expansion of the Roman Empire allowed this item to be spread across Europe, Eastern Asia and Northern Africa, which led to the development of several provincial variations.

Erotic scenes were an exceedingly popular depiction on oil lamps, making up the largest repertoire. Most scenes are heterosexual in nature, but some lamps also depict more vivid situations. It was not uncommon to see homosexual interaction depicted, scenarios between dwarf entertainers, and bestiality.

To discover more about the ancient origins of oil lamps, visit our relevant post: Oil Lamps in Antiquity.

Weight 100.4 g
Dimensions L 12.7 x W 7.7 x H 5 cm
Region

Southern Europe

Pottery

Terracotta

Reference: For a similar item, The J. Paul Getty Museum, item 83.AQ.438.397

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