Every piece comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the renowned Baidun Shop Antiques of the Holy Land in Jerusalem. Registered with the Israeli Antiquities Authority, each artifact includes an export permit, ensuring you receive a genuine, legally sourced piece of history.
Shop with confidence! We offer secure payment options with encrypted transactions to protect your information.
We offer complimentary shipping on all orders within the USA. Most pieces are shipped within 48 hours and delivered in 3-5 business days, ensuring a quick and secure delivery to your doorstep.
Complete the set
Description
Description
This authentic Byzantine terracotta oil lamp dates to the Early Christian period, circa the 4th to 7th centuries AD, when the Holy Land formed part of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire.
Carefully molded from fine reddish clay, the lamp features a rounded body with a projecting nozzle bearing visible traces of ancient burning, together with twin filling holes flanking a central discus decorated with a stylized dove motif — a powerful symbol of peace and the Holy Spirit in early Christian art.
Lamps of this type were widely used throughout Judea and Jerusalem during the Byzantine period, illuminating domestic spaces, monasteries, and pilgrimage routes at a time when Christianity was becoming firmly established across the region.
The surviving soot deposits around the nozzle attest to genuine ancient use, preserving a direct connection to daily life in the Holy Land nearly 1,500 years ago.
An evocative and well-preserved example from one of the most historically significant eras of Late Antiquity, this piece represents both devotional symbolism and everyday utility from the formative centuries of Christian history.
Height: 13 cm (5.12 in) Weight: 119.5 grams
Period and Time
Period and Time
This oil lamp belongs to the Byzantine period, approximately AD 400–600, a time when the Eastern Roman Empire governed the Holy Land and Christianity flourished across Jerusalem and its surrounding regions. During these centuries, pilgrimage increased dramatically following the construction of major churches such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre under Emperor Constantine. Oil lamps like this were essential household objects and are frequently recovered from archaeological contexts associated with early Christian settlements, monasteries, and burial caves.
Material
Material
The lamp is formed from locally produced terracotta clay typical of Levantine workshops operating during Late Roman and Byzantine times. Such lamps were mold-made in regional production centers and fired in kilns before use, resulting in durable yet lightweight vessels suitable for everyday illumination. The preserved surface patina and soot accumulation around the nozzle reflect authentic ancient handling and prolonged use in antiquity.
