Herodian Oil Lamp

Northern Syrian Terra-cotta Vase Fragment. c. 1,600 BC. This top vase fragment is modeled in buff pottery, the fragment includes a series of eight anthropomorphic figures, so called bird-face idols, encircling the neck of the vase. H. 1 1/2” (3.8 cm).

Egyptian Red Jasper Bound Cow Amulet, Late Period c. 715-330 BC. This nicely sculpted amulet is called a “Rehen”, or food offering amulet in the image of a bound cow. This amulet is associated with chapter 162 of the Book of the Dead and is generally supposed to represent an abundant supply of food in the afterlife and not necessarily a sacrifice. This example is in perfect condition, sculpted in a nice uniform red jasper.

Holy Land, Judaea, Iron Age oil lamp, c. 1200 – 586 BC. Excellent wheel-made buff clay oil lamp with classic ‘pinched’ nozzle and flattened bottom.

Lamps such as this one consist of a bowl to hold fuel, which was usually olive oil, and a spout to support a wick, which was probably made of flax.

The shape of these lamps changed over time, going from an open bowl with four pinched spouts to the one-spouted type shown here and, finally, to a closed lamp with a single spout. These differences in shape are one type of evidence used by archaeologists to identify the age of the pottery.

Parthian Terra-Cotta Head of Male, c. 100 AD. Found in Turkey. From the collection of Robert C. Hamer. Mr. Hamer was in the U.S. State Department and served in Jordan, Iran, and Turkey among other Near Eastern Posts. He left Jordan in June 1955 and Turkey in June 1966 and never returned to either country. All artifacts purchased or found overseas were brought in to the USA prior to July 1966.

Byzantine Oil Lamp, c. 6th-8th Century AD.

Roman Bronze Herm. c. 2nd. Century AD. This diminutive bronze herm depicts a bust of Hermes mounted atop a four-sided shaft tapering inward from top to bottom. The base with two ridges and the midsection with a phallus. Dark green patination. H. 4 1/2”