4513 - Rare complete Roman plaster mold and paired Terra Chiara XP oil lamp, 3rd–5th century CE: a rare complete plaster mold, comprising both the upper and lower halves, accompanied

Rare complete Roman plaster mold and paired Terra Chiara XP oil lamp, 3rd–5th century CE: a rare complete plaster mold, comprising both the upper and lower halves, accompanied by the terra chiara Roman oil lamp produced from the mold, dating to the 3rd–5th century CE. The survival of the complete mold together with its corresponding finished lamp provides an exceptional opportunity to observe the relationship between the mold and the final product. The decorative details of the discus and shoulders are exceptionally well preserved and clearly visible on both the mold and the lamp. The discus of the lamp bears the Christogram, or Chi-Rho (XP), as its central motif. The shoulders are ornamented with concentric-circle motifs, while two floral or clover-shaped motifs are positioned centrally on either side of the lamp. The exceptional preservation of the relief decoration on both the mold and the finished lamp provides a particularly clear example of the production technique and decorative motifs of Tunisian terra chiara oil lamps. L. 20.2 (mold) & 13.6 (oil lamp) Provenance: Private Dutch collection, acquired between 1970 and 1974 by a collector working for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stationed in North Africa. [2]