Ancient Terracotta Byzantine Decorated Oil Lamp.

Byzantine Period 400 -600 CE. 3.75” Inches By 2.5” Inches.

This clay Byzantine oil lamp is in very good condition, shaped like an elongated triangle with a sharpened apex and rounded base, and displays geometric decoration around the filling hole and the rim.

 Intact in very good condition.

Early Byzantine oil lamps from the Holy Land often featured distinct Christian symbolism, making them particularly appealing to Christian pilgrims. These clay vessels were typically adorned with crosses or stylized palm branches, echoing Jesus entry into Jerusalem. Some examples bore the Greek inscription “the light of Jesus shines beautifully upon all,” directly connecting their practical function of illumination with Christian metaphors of divine light. The specialized religious decorations and inscriptions suggest these lamps may have been intentionally crafted for the pilgrim market, serving both as functional lighting devices and meaningful souvenirs from sacred sites. Such lamps would have allowed pilgrims to carry home both a practical reminder of their journey and a tangible connection to their spiritual experience in the Holy Land.