Egyptian oil lamp, Type Cahn-Klaiber 3.1.4

ITEM: Oil lamp, Type Cahn-Klaiber 3.1.4
MATERIAL: Pottery
CULTURE: Egyptian
PERIOD: 2nd - 1st Century B.C
DIMENSIONS: 25 mm x 55 mm x 76 mm
CONDITION: Good condition
PROVENANCE: Ex French private collection, acquired between 1980 - 1990

Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export Licence. If you are from outside the European Union, we will have to apply for the export licence again for your country, this takes 4 to 6 weeks and has a cost of 5% of the amount of the sale, this amount will be added to the final invoice.

Egyptian oil lamps were a fundamental part of daily life in both the Pharaonic and later Greco-Roman periods, providing illumination in homes, temples, and tombs. Early examples, dating back to the New Kingdom (circa 16th–11th centuries BCE), were typically simple open-bowl designs made of clay or stone, with a pinched edge to hold a wick. These early forms reflected Egyptian traditions, relying on local materials and a straightforward design. With the influence of Hellenistic and Roman cultures after the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 BCE, Egyptian lamps began to adopt more refined shapes and closed, mold-made styles similar to those found throughout the Mediterranean.

During the Greco-Roman period (circa 3rd century BCE – 4th century CE), Egyptian oil lamps became more elaborate, often featuring decorative motifs that blended Egyptian, Greek, and Roman artistic influences. Lamps from this period frequently displayed images of deities such as Isis, Serapis, and Anubis, as well as sacred animals like the scarab beetle and the Apis bull. Some lamps bore inscriptions or symbols linked to religious practices, particularly in connection with temples and household altars. The presence of Christian symbols on later Egyptian lamps reflects the region's religious transition following the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire, particularly in Alexandria, a major center of early Christian thought.

Egyptian oil lamps were produced in large quantities, particularly in workshops in Alexandria and along the Nile Valley, and they were widely distributed across the Mediterranean world. Their discovery in homes, tombs, and temples suggests their importance in both everyday and ritual contexts. Some lamps were placed in burials as offerings, ensuring light for the deceased in the afterlife, a practice consistent with ancient Egyptian beliefs about the journey beyond death.