Oil Lamp in the Shape of the God Harpocrates - L.0249 Origin: Geresa, Jordan Circa: 100
AD
to 300
AD Dimensions:8" (20.3cm) high x 1.75" (4.4cm) wide Collection: Biblical Medium: Terracotta
Harpocrates was the Hellenized form of the
ancient Egyptian child god Horus, symbolic of
kingly power and divine protection. This elegant
lamp may have been shaped in the workshops of
Alexandria and then exported to other parts of
the roman empire. As the glow from the lamp
warmed some ancient room, so the benevolent
power of the god was thought to fall where the
light did. This masterpiece is a charming token
of the vanished world of antiquity.
- (L.0249)