Roman oil lamp in the form of a young Nubian's head, c.1st century AD
Bronze
Dimensions: 9.3 x 4.6 x 14.5cm
11366
£ 12,000
Further images
Bronze oil lamp in the form of a head of a youthful African, the smooth skin juxtaposing the curling locks of the hair and the back of the head which...
Bronze oil lamp in the form of a head of a youthful African, the smooth skin juxtaposing the curling locks of the hair and the back of the head which is bound in a material pattered with closely spaced incised dots. The upturned, flat-topped spout emerges from the open mouth, a filler hole at the back of his head was once covered by a small lid, now lost, the hinge remaining on the front of the handle. The ring handle is supported by a thumb piece in the form of a volute, and the underside of the base is near hemispherical. Unrestored, with some elements missing.
Although the majority of similar examples have been found in Southern Italy, it is likely that they were made in Alexandria (which by the 1st century was one of the foremost trading hubs of the Mediterranean), and then exported en masse. Representations of the dark skinned Nubians exemplify a fashion during the Roman period for the exotic, echoing Rome’s increased foreign control and the booming economy brought through trade. A lamp such as this celebrated the diverse ethnicity of the Roman empire.
Although the majority of similar examples have been found in Southern Italy, it is likely that they were made in Alexandria (which by the 1st century was one of the foremost trading hubs of the Mediterranean), and then exported en masse. Representations of the dark skinned Nubians exemplify a fashion during the Roman period for the exotic, echoing Rome’s increased foreign control and the booming economy brought through trade. A lamp such as this celebrated the diverse ethnicity of the Roman empire.
Provenance
Private collection, Germany; acquired late 1960s in GermanyDr E.K.S., Freiburg, Germany; by descent from the above in 1974
