Lamp, Plate and Folded Edge

Unidentified Babylonian maker
Mesopotamia

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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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