Name/Title
CE 0200 - 0300 Late Roman Oil LampDescription
Late Roman Oil Lamp
This object is a ceramic oil lamp of a standardized Roman type, featuring a central filling hole, short nozzle, and decorated shoulder. The dotted circular motifs and overall form are broadly consistent with lamp traditions associated with Roman North Africa, particularly from the 3rd–4th centuries CE, though such forms circulated widely and exact workshop attribution cannot be confirmed without compositional analysis. These lamps were utilitarian domestic objects used for illumination, fueled by oil and fitted with a wick. The example appears structurally intact with surface wear and encrustation consistent with age and burial conditions.
Late Roman Oil Lamp, ca. 3rd-4th Century AD. The shoulder with dotted circular design. Small loss to nozzle. L. 4 1/4" (10.8 cm)..Made/Created
Time Period
3rd Century, 4th CenturyPlace
* Untyped Place
Roman EmpireNotes
Likely Origin:
* Roman North Africa (modern Tunisia / Algeria)
* Possible workshop tradition:
* African Red Slip ceramic industryCreate Date
April 27, 2026Update Date
August 12, 2026