Bowl Shaped Terracotta Lamp with Eros Relief

Bowl Shaped Terracotta Lamp with Eros Relief

terracotta, fabric: fine with some inclusions. Munsell: 5 YR 5/6 yellowish red
height 2.8 cm
length 6.7 cm
width 5.4 cm

Portland State University Middle East Studies Center
Bogue Lamp Collection, Lamp ID #275, PSU 197 (202)

Professor Anne Nicogorski, Willamette University, cited with permission

This brown, circular, bowl-shaped lamp has a relief of a winged Eros carrying a large torch as its only decoration. The area of the discus where the eccentrically pierced fill hole was, is missing. The pierced handle is also missing. A section around the end of the slightly protruding nozzle is missing. Round-bodied lamp with slight ring base set off by inner and outer circular grooves; slightly convex side walls; carinated at shoulder; broad, slightly concave discus with off-center fill hole; short rounded nozzle; vertical handle now missing (probably ring handle). Decoration: Dark reddish-brown slip on all surfaces.  Relief decoration consisting of small single ivy leaf on underside at base of lower handle attachment; figure of Eros on discus, striding to right; head and torso frontal; both arms extended in front holding some large object (torch?), one wing visible, pointing downward from right shoulder. Inscriptions: None. Condition: Mostly complete; much of nozzle broken away; broken around fill hole; handle mostly missing; worn; heavy burning around wick hole and sides.