Antiquities Discussion Forums > Oil Lamps

Pigs Snout? Roman oil lamp

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ChefStu22:
Morning guys, I hope this finds you well. See attached pictures of an oil lamp I purchased I wondered if anybody had any thoughts to it, and any help to identify the makers mark? Thanks as always Stuart

v-drome:
Hi, Stuart.  This lamp belongs to a class of lamps known as "Egyptian Frog Lamps".  Here is a link to some examples in the British Museum Collection: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/x308753 (click on the "related objects" tab near the top).  If you click on the photos you get detailed information on each.  Yours looks a lot like the "palm and corn" variant from the mid 2nd-4th Century CE.  I don't have enough experience to determine the authenticity of your lamp, but the overall appearance of the clay is of some concern to me.  Any additional information you might have on the provenance of the item could be of use.  Hopefully one of our other members with more knowledge than me may weight in at some point. 

Regards, V-drome

ChefStu22:
Evening V-Drome thank you very much for you help and the link. I think you are spot on with your appraisal of it, it certainly looks like the ones you have suggested. Given how they look I can understand the concerns on its authenticity I have contacted the person I purchased it off of to see if he can shed any light on its provenance. I have purchased many many roman coins from him all being 100% authentic so I thought this would be a safe purchase also, bur we shall see. I will update this thread once I get a reply from him. Thank you again and have a pleasant weekend. Stuart

v-drome:
If you google "Egyptian frog lamp" you will see others.  Here is one with a similar stamp on the bottom from a museum in Budapest:
https://www.mfab.hu/artworks/one-wick-frog-lamp-from-egypt/

ChefStu22:
I have to commend you, as concerned as I am with regards to the authenticity now purely just based on the colour of the clay/glaze on mine compared to the examples you have shown me, its a sure match for being one of them be it legitimately (the eternal optimist in me) or based upon them. The makers mark look almost identical to the screenshot I have attached. Really exceptional detective work from you 👏

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