Hellenistic Ptolemaic Period Pottery Oil Lamp

Hellenistic Period, Ptolemaic Dynasty, c. 300–100 BC, Naukratis, Egypt

An elegant and finely preserved mould-made grey-ware pottery oil lamp from the Ptolemaic period, produced in Naukratis, the celebrated Greco-Egyptian port city of the Nile Delta. The lamp displays a globular body with a gently rounded shoulder, narrowing toward an inward-sloping rim that frames a small central filling hole. A raised ridge accentuates the opening, highlighting the vessel’s symmetry and balance.

Supported on a sharply turned base with a slightly concave disc foot, the lamp also features a vertically pierced lug handle and a short flat-topped nozzle with an oval wick hole—typical characteristics of the Howland Type 25 form. Fashioned from reduced Nile silt clay and finished with a dark slip, the piece combines the technical excellence of Egyptian ceramic tradition with the refined aesthetic sensibilities of Hellenistic design.

Oil lamps such as this were indispensable in antiquity, providing light in homes, sanctuaries, and public spaces, while also serving as ritual offerings. This example, with its graceful proportions, tactile finish, and cosmopolitan character, offers a tangible glimpse into daily life and cultural fusion under the Ptolemaic dynasty. A superb artifact that embodies both functionality and artistry from one of the most dynamic eras of the ancient Mediterranean world.

Good condition. Wear consistent with age and use. Chip. Heavy encrusted patina and rich earthen deposits. Nozzle had even traces of soot. Size approx. 9,9cm x 6,7cm x 3,5cm.

Provenance: Swedish private collection. Acquired abroad and brought to Sweden in the 1960s and 1970s.

For a similar example see:

Oil-lamp, The British Museum, Accession Number: 1987.291                                     (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/X__2184)