I suspect that both of these
lamps are modern.
1) Saucer
lamp. The size and
fabric preclude it being of Bronze or Iron Age date. Although the size is similar to that of
lamps of this form from the
Islamic period, the thickness of the clay and other details are wrong.
2)
Herodian lamp. Although similar to the 'Jerusalem' variety of this
type, the wick-hole and other details do not correspond.
An enormous quantity of modern
lamps based loosely on ancient
types but incongruously made from a uniform thick black or dark grey clay is currently being manufactured in
Israel (or neighbouring countries), artificially antiqued and then sold to tourists as the real thing.
