This ancient lamp might have burned in the Holy
Land at during the time when the ancestors of
the Israelites were still part of the Canaanite
tribes that populated the land that would
become Israel. Judging by its open construction
and vaguely pinched wick channel, this lamp
derives from the Middle Bronze Age and is the
ancestor of later designs that permeated the
culture of the Middle East in Antiquity. Its
simple, pinch pot construction is a tribute to the
antiquity of the design, likely having Canaanite
origins. Made of terra cotta, this simple item
would have held olive oil and probably a wick of
plant fibers or textile, allowing it to provide light
for a few hours perhaps. This lamp of open-
bowl design would later give way to more
elaborate, enclosed lamps of the Hellenistic and
Roman periods.
A metaphor for joy and prosperity, for hope, for
life itself, lamps have illuminated the path of
civilization for centuries. They have shed light on
mundane and extraordinary events alike, guiding
great thoughts through the night, and standing
vigil with lonely passions. In the presence of this
simple object, we are in touch directly with a
vanished world, with the rooms and shrines once
warmed by its glow, with the people who drew
comfort from its light. Today it remains as an
enduring symbol of man's desire to conquer the
darkness.
- (SP.419)
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