Round Terracotta Lamp with Female Figure Relief

Round Terracotta Lamp with Female Figure Relief

terracotta: moldmade, fabric: fine
height 2.7 cm
length 8.6 cm
width 6.7 cm

Portland State University Middle East Studies Center
Bogue Lamp Collection, Lamp ID #257, PSU 257

Professor Anne Nicogorski, Willamette University, cited with permission

This circular gray lamp is molded with a short, wide nozzle on one side and a pierced handle at the opposite side. The small recessed discus is decorated with the standing figure of a woman or goddess. A small portion of the lamp is missing next to the eccentrically pierced fill hole. The head of the figure has also been removed. Shape: Round bodied lamp with flat base; slightly convex body profile; carinated at shoulder; broad concave discus with off-center fill hole; very short rounded nozzle; vertical ring handle with pair of grooves on top and one on underside. Decoration: Possible traces of reddish slip. Relief decoration on top consisting of small raised dots on either side of nozzle on shoulder (probably also on either side of handle); shallow circular groove around discus; standing frontal figure in center of discus with lowered left arm; right arm possibly drawn in front (possible pudica gesture); some indeterminate object beneath left hand. Inscriptions: None. Condition: Intact; very worn; several minor chips; one major chip on discus from head of standing figure; encrusted; burnt around wick hole.