Roman, Holy Land, the Levant, Imperial Period, ca. 2nd to 4th century CE. A wonderful ensemble of ten mold-made pottery oil lamps all with annular fill holes, wick spouts, relief decoration, flat bases, and risen handles. Three of these ancient vessels present with slipper-form bodies. One is formed from black clay with a flat shoulder, a conical handle, and adorned by a geometric relief. The second presents a round shoulder, a large, flared handle, and is decorated by a vegetal motif. The third features a loop handle, a round shoulder with a swirling abstract design, and a recessed central tondo adorned with indecipherable script. The underside of the third vessel also displays a teardrop-shaped base and a stamped Chi-Rho symbol. Enveloped in a hue of brown, a fourth lamp exhibits an ovoid form with a conical handle, a petite fill hole, and a lightly convex shoulder bearing an abstract pattern. Size of largest: 4.375" L x 3.5" W x 2" H (11.1 cm x 8.9 cm x 5.1 cm); 4.75" H (12.1 cm) on included custom stand.

Formed from red clay, four more examples all feature flared spouts, rounded shoulders, and sizable fill holes. Of these, one has a loop handle and a starburst motif on the shoulder; another has a giant flared handle and geometric and floral decoration on its shoulder; the third displays a pyramidal handle and a dotted and striped motif shoulder, and the last also has a pyramidal handle, but shows a recessed central tondo and a phytomorphic adornment on its neck. The final two lamps boast discoid forms made from red-hued terracotta and sunken tondos. The smaller of these two has a rounded shoulder with a dotted design, a loop handle, and the relief image of a quadruped, perhaps a lion, adorning its tondo. Alternatively, the larger presents a flat shoulder bearing an alternating pattern of grape bunches and grape leaves in low relief, surrounding an impressively detailed bust of a gorgon, possibly Medusa, in the central tondo.

Provenance: private Zaveloff collection, Lakewood, New Jersey, USA, acquired in 2002; ex-Venus Gallery, Israel, 2002

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#161781

Nine lamps have included custom stands. Slipper-form with flared handle has had handle reattached with restoration over break line. Ovoid lamp has small repair to side near handle with restoration over break line. Lamp with starburst shoulder has minor restoration to handle. Tiny aperture to shoulder of lamp with phytomorphic motif. Repair to handle of lamp with quadruped and restoration over break lines. Largest (one with gorgon) has been repaired from a few pieces with restoration over break lines and restoration to edge of shoulder and handle. All have expected nicks, abrasions, char marks, and softening of detail, commensurate with age and use. Otherwise, very nice with rich earthen deposits on all.