Roman oil lamp Cleopatra

Product description

This oil lamp is made after an original from the 1st century AD. It is decorated with the depiction of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra having intercourse with a crocodile. The crocodile symbolized the Nile river and the intercourse presumably symbolizes unification. Cleopatra was queen of the Nile. The original was presumably made in Egypt.

Oil lamps were the main source of artificial light during the Roman Empire and afterwards. They were made in a large diversity. Lamps like this were used during the period of the Roman Republic.

Olive oil was originally used for fuel, but of course this oil lamp can also be burned with modern lamp oil. This oil lamp is fully hand made with two different moulds. It is afterwards baked in a temperature of 1200 °C. It measures 11 x 8 cm. Delivered including wick.

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