Sutton Hoo Oil Lamp, 7th Century

Product description

This oil lamp is a replica of a find from the ship burial of Sutton Hoo in Suffolk (England), excavated in 1939. Among the rich grave goods of an Anglo-Saxon prince were two iron oil lamps, a high and a low one, both consisting of a round bowl on a three-legged stand.

Like the original, this replica is made of forged iron; beeswax remains were found as fuel in the grave itself, but no trace of a wick. Iron oil lamps are extremely rare finds; they have so far only been found in the wealthiest graves, such as those at Bloomfield and Prittlewell in Essex and Sutton Hoo itself. The lamp dates from the early 7th century and consists of a slightly curved bowl resting on three elegantly curved legs with flattened feet for a stable basic foundation.

Use the lamp with wax or oil and a suitable wick for warm, atmospheric light. It is a beautiful decorative piece for the home and a beloved attribute in re-enactment, living history and museum or educational presentations of the early Anglo-Saxon period.