Description:

Ancient Near East, Levant, Roman to Byzantine Periods, ca. 1st to 7th century CE. A varied and appealing group of twenty terracotta oil lamps from the Holy Land, spanning a wide range of production types, motifs, and periods. Each lamp is mold-made and slip-coated, with design features that reflect the evolving artistic and religious sensibilities of the region from the early Roman through Late Byzantine periods. Several lamps exhibit the characteristic rounded bodies and single nozzles of early Roman types, often with sharply defined filling holes and delicate radiating linear patterns. Others feature stylized palm fronds, cross motifs, concentric circles, or intricate abstract and vegetal designs more common in the later Byzantine repertoire. A few lamps show high-arching handles, while others are nozzle-forward in the Herodian or early Islamic tradition. Surfaces range from warm reddish slip to buff and grey clays, each retaining earthen deposits and light blackening from ancient use. Size (all similar): 4.3" L x 2.7" W x 1.5" H (10.9 cm x 6.9 cm x 3.8 cm)

Together, these lamps speak to centuries of daily ritual, domestic life, and faith across a region that bore witness to Judaism, early Christianity, and emergent Islam. A rich study assemblage with excellent comparative potential for typology, dating, and regional variation.

Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005

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#195565

  • Condition: Losses to some handles and chipping, nicks, and abrasions throughout, all commensurate with age. Some areas of fire-darkening. Otherwise, all have nice presentations with good remains of relief decoration and rich earthen deposits.

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October 17, 2025 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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