Roman Terracotta Oil Lamp with Hunt Scene

Object Description

An early ancient Roman, terracotta, oil lamp, featuring a decorated concave discuss and a round-tipped volute nozzle. The discuss depicts a hunting scene between a lion and a mule. The lion is depicted with his face frontally, as his claws wrap around the mule underneath him. The beast’s tail is turned upwards. The helpless prey lies underneath, unable to escape. There is a small burn hole situated at the base of the scene. The discus is surrounded by a concentric circle. The lamp’s two volutes are placed between the discuss and nozzle. The reverse features one concentric circle, creating a simple base ring. Inside is a simple maker’s mark known as a ‘planta pedis’. This lamp belongs to the Loeschcke type IV, which is characterised by a narrow, rounded nozzle flanked by volute-spines, round shoulders and the absence of a handle.

Date: Circa 1st – 2nd century AD

Object History

Madame Suzanne Gozlan then by descent. Madame Suzanne Gozlan (1921-2022), Doctor of History and Archaeology, professor at the Ecole Normale d’Instituteurs de Chartres and lecturer at the University of Paris, Sorbonne.

Object Condition

Very fine. Some loss of detailing to the discus but scene still visible. Some loss of glaze.

Object Details