Lot 83B

5 Ancient Levantine Terracotta Shell-Form Oil Lamps

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5 Ancient Levantine Terracotta Shell-Form Oil Lamps

Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500

Starting Bid: $500

(0 Bids)

October 2, 2025 8:00 AM MDT (In Progress)
Live Auction
Louisville, CO, US


Description:

Ancient Near East, Holy Land / Levant, Late Bronze Age to Iron Age, ca. 1550 to 200 BCE. A group of five terracotta oil lamps, each hand-molded in the characteristic shell-like form with shallow open bowls and neatly pinched spouts for wicks. The gently curving bodies evoke the contours of natural shells, creating vessels that are both visually appealing and highly functional, providing steady reservoirs for oil. This distinctive type is associated with domestic and ritual contexts across the Levant during the Late Bronze and Iron Ages, where lamps such as these illuminated households, sanctuaries, and tombs. Their earthy hues, mineral deposits, and burn marks attest to long centuries of use, offering a direct connection to daily life and spiritual practice in the ancient Holy Land. Size of largest: 6" Diameter x 2.3" H (15.2 cm x 5.8 cm)

Provenance: private Star City, Arkansas, USA collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

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#197146

  • Condition: All are intact without repairs. Nice smoke and soot residue on the surfaces of several. Mineral and earthen encrustations, and root marks on several.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000