Roman, North Africa, Imperial Period, ca. 4th to mid-5th century CE. A wonderful mold-formed redware pottery oil lamp with a concentric circle base, a tab-shaped handle, and a myriad of low relief geometric forms along the shoulders. Within the recessed tondo and between a pair of fill holes are two concentric horseshoes flanking an acanthus leaf, and a pair of scaled fish face up towards the handle. The fish is one of the oldest zoomorphic symbols denoting Christianity and Jesus Christ in particular, perhaps as a re-telling of the "miracle of the five loaves and two fishes" in the Bible. Size: 5.55" L x 3.3" W x 2.2" H (14.1 cm x 8.4 cm x 5.6 cm)

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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#154192

Minor nicks and abrasions to base, body, handle, and wick spout, with light softening to some finer raised details, and very light fading to some areas of red color, otherwise intact and excellent. Nice earthen and mineral deposits throughout, and original iconography still visible and clear. Old inventory label beneath base.