Object Description
A Roman terracotta oil lamp with a decorated concave discus and a ring handle with two grooves on the upper part of the lamp. Within its centre is a sphinx, a monster with the body of a lion, the head and breasts of a woman, and eagle wings. According to Greek mythology, this monster would devour those who failed to solve its riddle and here it is represented surrounded by the bones and the scull of its victims. A filling-hole and an air hole are located to the right of the beast and beneath it. The scene is framed by two concentric circles and the shoulders of the lamp are decorated with radiating lines. The reverse features two concentric circles surrounding the maker’s mark. The maker’s mark is written on two lines; P V LL to the top and A E N I to the bottom. This dates the lamp to circa 170 to 225 AD, when the prolific African workshop was in operation. This lamp belongs to the Loeschcke type VIII group (Bussière form D II 1), which is characterised by its handle, circular body, and a short rounded nozzle that is separated from the main body by a horizontal line flanked by two dots.
Date: Circa 2nd – 3rd Century AD