Ancient Roman Picture lamp with Isis and Serapis - 118 mm

Roman Terracotta Oil Lamp from North Africa with a figurative depiction of the Egyptian-Roman deities Isis and Serapis, Roman imperial period, 1st–2nd century AD. The lamp, made of a reddish-beige clay, has a rounded body with a relieved discus, protruding snout with wick opening, and a high-arched handle. On the discus are the busts of Isis on the left and Serapis on the right, arranged antithetically. The two deities were among the most important representatives of the Egyptian cults in the Roman Empire. The central filling hole lies between and below the busts. Remnants of a reddish surface coating or engobe are preserved, especially on the discus. Comparable lamps depicting Isis and Serapis are known from Roman North Africa; similar North African-Roman specimens have also been offered on Catawiki. Material: Terracotta, reddish-beige clay Dimensions: 118 × 85 × 48 mm Dating: 1st–2nd century AD Origin: North Africa Literature / Comparison: E.-M. Cahn-Klaiber, Die antiken Tonlampen des Archäologischen Instituts der Universität Tübingen (1977), No. 308. Condition: Assembled from several fragments. Cracks and minor losses Provenance: Acquired in 2026 from a German art dealer; previously, since before 2000, in the private collection H. L., Rhineland Invoice is available and will be provided to the buyer in copy.

Estimate:$392.03

View all items fromCatawikiorAncient Art