Gratefully built with ACNLPatternTool
In antiquity, most interior lighting was provided by oil lamps set on stands or suspended by chains or cords. Drinking parties, which were always held at night after dinner, would have been brightly lit by flickering flames. This simple type of lamp has a narrow handle that could be used to hang the lamp from a peg when it was not in use.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
Use your arrow keys to navigate the tabs below, and your tab key to choose an item
Title: Terracotta lamp
Period: Classical
Date: 5th century BCE
Culture: Greek, Attic
Medium: Terracotta; black-glaze
Dimensions: Overall: 7/8 x 3 1/8 x 4 5/16 in. (2.2 x 8 x 11 cm)
Classification: Vases
Credit Line: Gift of Dietrich von Bothmer, 1947
Object Number: 47.129
The Met's Libraries and Research Centers provide unparalleled resources for research and welcome an international community of students and scholars.
The Met Collection API is where all makers, creators, researchers, and dreamers can connect to the most up-to-date data and public domain images for The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.
