A Roman Terracotta Oil Lamp with Rosette

$372.79

A terracotta Roman oil lamp featuring a decorated discus in high relief, with a rounded nozzle and loop handle to the rear. The reverse is stamped with a maker’s mark.

This oil lamp belongs to the Loeschcke type VIII, characterised by a rounded, circular body and short nozzle, which is also rounded. The nozzle is also separated from the discus by a short, horizontal line with two dots at either side. The discuss is decorated with a four-petal rosette, incised deeply in relief. The leaves are intersected with four, shallow stems. Concentric circles surround the rosette.

The reverse of the lamp is stamped with a known maker’s mark, signed MNOVIVSTI. He was a lamp maker, known as M. Novius Justus, with a workshop situated in North Africa and produced oil lamps from 120 – 180 AD.

Date: Circa 120 - 180 AD
Provenance: From the collection of Arno Jumpertz, Leverkusen, Germany, 1924-1984. Much of the collection was exhibited at Neus museum, 1985.
Condition: Fine. Repair to the handle.

SOLD

SKU: AH-571 Category: Tags: , ,

This type of oil lamp, made from a mold, was especially popular from the end of the 1st century AD and continued to be made up until the 5th century AD. Due to it’s long use and popularity, variants of this type are extensive, with the shape of the nozzle changing predominantly.

Weight 53.7 g
Dimensions L 10.1 x W 7 x H 4.4 cm
Culture

Pottery and Porcelain

Region