320 - Oil lamp decorated with plant motifs.

Oil lamp decorated with plant motifs. Modeled and fired ceramic with incised decoration. Dimensions: 8.5 cm long x 6.5 cm wide. An interesting oil lamp from the Late Roman period, made of ceramic and decorated with plant motifs characteristic of Eastern Mediterranean pottery during Late Antiquity. The piece features an ornamental composition centered on two large incised palm branches on the shoulders of the vessel, arranged to enhance its structure and provide considerable decorative interest. The palm is one of the most widespread plant symbols in the art of Antiquity, traditionally associated with concepts of victory, prosperity, and renewal, and later acquiring special significance in the iconographic repertoire of early Christianity. During the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, ceramic oil lamps underwent significant formal and decorative evolution, incorporating geometric, plant, and religious motifs that reflected the cultural and spiritual transformations of the Roman Empire. These small containers, designed to hold oil and provide light via a wick, were essential objects in daily life, both in homes and in public buildings and places of worship. Their manufacture using molds allowed for the widespread dissemination of designs and decorations throughout the eastern provinces of the Empire, especially in the regions of Judea, Syria, and Palestine, where important pottery production centers existed. The decoration of palmettes and plant branches finds parallels in various Late Roman oil lamps discovered at archaeological sites in the Holy Land, evidence of the continuity of local ornamental traditions under Roman influence. The piece is in good condition, without repairs or restorations, preserving the incised decoration and the original characteristics of its ceramic surface. Provenance: Jerusalem, Holy Land; found before 1978. Lot in international warehouse (outside the EU). For shipments to the European Union, import duties and/or taxes will be applied and ...