Lamp, Plate and Folded Edge
Unidentified Babylonian maker
Mesopotamia
1550-1200 BCE
Terracotta
Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth: Gift of the Estate of Harold Goddard Rugg, Class of 1906
157.25.13954
Geography
Place Made: Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, West Asia, Asia
Object Name
Furnishings: Lighting Device
Research Area
Near East
On view
Label
Terracotta oil lamps like these are among the most commonly surviving objects from the ancient world. They served an important function, bringing portable light into homes, palaces, and temples. However, the lamps also provide insight into popular decorative models and themes, which might include geometric and vegetal patterns, mythological references, and even depictions of popular gladiators. The three Roman lamps in this case are mold made, enabling their mass production and widespread use. The Babylonian lamp demonstrates a simple plate form (likely made on a wheel) that nevertheless fulfilled the essential purpose of holding both oil and a wick. The most common type of fuel in the ancient Mediterranean was olive oil, while wicks were often made of linen or plant fibers.
From the exhibition, Stone, Sand, and Clay: Connecting Cultures in the Ancient Mediterranean, curated by Ashley B. Offill, Curator of Collections
Exhibition History
Stone, Sand, and Clay: Connecting Cultures in the Ancient Mediterranean, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, June 7, 2025 - Ongoing
Provenance
Edgar James Banks (1866-1945); sold to Harold Goddard Rugg (1883-1957, Class of 1906), Hanover, New Hampshire; given by his Estate to present collection, 1957.
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