In Antiquity, a lamp was originally called a lychnus, from the Greek λυχνος, with the oldest Roman lamps dating back to the third century BC. During the Roman Empire, it became commonplace to use lamps in funeral ceremonies and for public purposes. 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. This particular variation, Terra Sigillata Africana, is native to the Roman province comprising present-day central Tunisia, but was broadly exported and then imitated all over the Roman Empire. The “overflowing vase” motif found on this lamp’s discus was very common in Roman North Africa and Byzantium and is thought to be a symbol of abundance or fertility.
To discover more about the ancient origins of oil lamps, visit our relevant post: Oil Lamps in Antiquity.
