Decorative Oil Lamp
Decorative Oil Lamp
An oil lamp is a simple vessel used to produce light continuously for a period of time, from an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and extends to the present day.
Oil Lamps have traditionally been used as a basic form of lighting, and were widely used as an alternative to candles prior to the era of electric lights. Starting in 1780 the Argand lamp quickly replaced earlier oil lamps still in their basic ancient form. These were, in turn, replaced by the kerosene lamp in about 1850. In small towns and rural areas these continued in use well into the 20th century, until such areas were finally electrified, and light bulbs could be used for lighting.
Most modern non-electric lamps (such as lanterns) have been replaced with gas-based or petroleum-based fuels as they are safer to operate when emergency non-electric light is required. As such, oil lamps of today are primarily used for the particular ambiance they produce, or in rituals and religious ceremonies.
Structure and function
Oil lamps were used not only for household lighting, but also for funerary and votive purposes. Lamps were used for domestic purposes in homes and for public purposes in temples and most public buildings.
By studying the lamp's designs, symbols, structure and decorations, and the material of which it is made, we can identify the age and perhaps the locality of the lamp. The lamp can also give us insights into the culture of its users and their social status.
Occasionally the design of the lamps also reveal the female reproductive system. Indian bronze lamps with a protruding central portion are supposed to project the male genitalia on a female womb with light representing 'origin of life' in most cases.
Components
The following are the main external parts of a terra-cotta lamp.
- Shoulder
- Pouring hole
- Wick hole , and the nozzle .
- Handle
- Discus
- Volute
- Fuel chamber
Wicks
A wick is placed over the nozzle and extends into the fuel chamber. Most lamps come with one nozzle; a few lamps have more, from two to twenty nozzles. However, the more nozzles, the greater the fuel consumption.
The wick was made of different materials, linen, flax, papyrus, tow, or ordinary rush. The thickness of the wick is an important factor too; thin wicks burn fuel more slowly than thick ones. However, the thickness of the wick does not have much effect on the size of the flame.
Fuel
The main fuel in Western nations was whale oil, though extracts from fish, crude fish oil, nuts, and cheese was also used. Oozing crude petroleum was also used. The fuel was poured into the fuel reservoir via the pouring hole in the discus.
Castor oil was used by the ancient Egyptians. In Africa, carrot oil, peanut oil, mustard oil and nettle oil are used. Indian lamps, especially for use in puja, almost exclusively use ghee as fuel.
Among other fuels used have been coal oil and paraffin/kerosene in paraffin lamps (also called kerosene lamps and coal oil lamps). Oil lamps can use many other fuels including jathropa seed oil and biodiesel along with wvo, soybean oil, canola oil, hemp seed oil, sunflower seed oil,and olive oil
Lamp holders
Lamps were usually put in lamp holders when in use, for example:
- Fastened to a wall by a nail or a wooden wedge
- Hung suspended from brackets
- Placed in a candelabra
- Placed in niches in the wall
- Put on lamp stands of different shapes
- Or were carved as part of stone lamp pillars
Production methods
Before the Middle Bronze Age
Before the invention of the wheel in the Middle Bronze Age, lamps were made by hand.
Wheels
An early form of the potter’s wheel was invented and introduced in the Middle Bronze Age and used to manufacture lamps until around the 3rd century BCE.
Lamp molds
The use of molds was first developed in Greece and Egypt during the 3rd century BCE. In Roman times, stone, clay, or plaster molds were utilized on a large scale across the Roman Empire until around the 8th century CE.
Plaster versus clay molds
To make a lamp, two molds are needed: one for the upper part and one for the lower part. Some pairs of molds have knobs and corresponding holes to fit the two molds together.
In order to create the mold, an archetype or patrix is first made. Plaster or clay is then formed around the patrix, which dries and hardens into a mold.
Clay molds are removed from the patrix before they are fully dried. They are then kiln fired, thus they may deviate or shrink from their original form. Clay molds need more labor than plaster ones. However, clay molds are more durable.
Plaster molds are dried completely and then removed from the patrix. Plaster thus makes an accurate replica, but it has the disadvantage of leaving some surface granular artifacts.
Due to the perishable nature of plaster, it has proven difficult to find remains of ancient plaster molds. Several clay molds, however, have been recovered. By studying the surfaces of surviving lamps it seems that plaster was preferred to clay
Lamp typology
Lamps can be categorized based on different criteria, including material (Clay, Silver, Bronze, Gold, Stone, slip), shape, structure, design, and imagery (e.g. symbolic, religious, mythological, erotic, battles, hunting).
Lamp typological categories
Typologically, lamps of the Ancient Mediterranean can be divided into six major categories
Wheel made
This category includes Greek and Egyptian lamps that date before the 3rd century BCE. They are characterized by simple, little or no decoration, and a wide pour hole, a lack of handles, and a pierced or unpierced lug. Pierced lugs occurred briefly between 4th and 3rd century BCE. Unpierced lugs continued until 1st century BCE.
Volute, Early Imperial
With volutes extending from their nozzles, these lamps were predominately produced in Italy during the Early Roman period. They have a wide discus, a narrow shoulder and no handle, elaborate imagery and artistic finishing and a wide range of patterns of decoration.
High Imperial
These are late Roman. The shoulder is wider and the discus is smaller with fewer decorations. These lamps have handles and short plain nozzles, and less artistic finishing.
Frog
This is a regional style lamp exclusively produced in Egypt and found in the regions around it, between ca. 100 – 300 CE. The frog is an Egyptian fertility symbol.
African Red Slip
African Red Slip lamps were made in North Africa, but widely exported, and decorated in a red slip. They date to the second century CE and comprise a wide variety of shapes including a flat, heavily decorated shoulder with a small and relatively shallow discus. Their decoration is either non-religious, Christian or Jewish. Grooves run from the nozzle back to the pouring hole and it is hypothesized that this is to take back spilled oil. These lamps often have more than one pour-hole.
Slipper
These are oval shaped and found mainly in the Levant. They were produced between the 3rd to 9th century CE. Decorations include vine scrolls, palm wreaths, and Greek letters.
Factory lamps
Also called Firmalampen (from German), these are universal in distribution and simple in appearance. They have a channeled nozzle, plain discus, and 2 or 3 bumps on the shoulder.
Initially made in factories in Northern Italy and Southern Gaul between 1st century and 3rd centuries CE, they were exported to all Roman provinces. The vast majority have been stamped to identify the manufacturer.
Oil lamps in religious contexts
Judaism
Lamps appear in the Torah and other Jewish sources as a symbol of “lighting” the way for the
decorative hummingbird oil lamp wall sconce by ...
This 5/8 basswood plaque w/ bark has a hummingbird cutout with pink acrylic mirror backer. comes with 2 -5 candle-shaped oil lamps. These
Electric Oil Lamps
Decorative Oil Lamp Electric #40127-Crystal Measures:4 1/2" in diameter and is about 4 3/4" tall $
Plug In Oil Lamps
Plug In Oil Lamps. The lamps below ... Decorative Oil Lamp Plug In # 91027-Green Measures:4 1/2" in diameter ...
Reeves Glass, Laboratory Glass, Oil Lamps - Trenton ...
Custom and Stock Laboratory Glass Beautiful Decorative Oil Lamps Repair of Damaged Laboratory Glass Browse Our Catalog and Contact Us for Lab Glass & Oil Lamps
Decorative Oil Lamp Includes Oil, NIB - eBay (item ...
Bidding has ended on this item. The seller has relisted this item or one like this.
decorative oil lamp - decorative oil lamp products ...
decorative oil lamp product listings on Alibaba.com - Choose quality decorative oil lamp products from large database of decorative oil lamp manufacturers and suppliers at alibaba ...
Decorative Items,Oil Lamps,Singing Bowl,Steel Lantern ...
RGN Exports - Manufacturers and suppliers of decorative items, oil lamps, singing bowl, steel lantern, photo frame, garden lanterns, decorative vase, iron lanterns, metal lantern ...
Decorative Oil Lamp Insert - Lee Valley Tools
Decorative Oil Lamp Insert from Lee Valley Tools. Lee Valley offers high-quality woodworking tools (woodturning, wood finishing, sharpening, woodcarving), gardening tools and ...
Aspen Country - Decorative Oil Lamps, Oil Burning Lamps ...
Decorative Oil Lamps with Wicks: Oil burning lamps, lanterns, oil candles in glass jars.
Lanterns : Decorative Oil Lamps, Oil Lanterns - Main St. Supply
If you enjoy the feel of soft light and ambiance you will love to add our decorative lanterns to your home or outdoor living spaces. Try these beautiful accent lanterns to bring a ...
