Ancient oil lamp, decorated with Temple symbols, discovered in Jerusalem

Rare find sheds light on Jewish community in Jerusalem under Roman occupation after the Bar Kochba revolt.

By World Israel News Staff

A rare ceramic oil lamp from the Late Roman period, decorated with depictions of the Temple menorah, incense shovel, and a lulav (date palm branch used in Jewish ritual) was recently uncovered during an Israel Antiquities Authority archaeological dig near the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

The find, which, judging by the soot marks on its nozzle, was used for lighting about 1,700 years ago, provides a glimpse into Jewish cultural and religious life during this period.

“The exquisite artistic workmanship of the lamp, which was found complete, makes it an outstanding and extremely rare ” said Michael Chernin, excavation director on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

“The menorah, incense shovel, and lulav are symbols associated with the Jewish connection to the Temple. This finding is particularly surprising, since we have very little evidence of the existence of a Jewish settlement in and around Jerusalem from this period,” he added.

“After the Roman emperor Hadrian suppressed the Bar Kochba rebellion in 135 CE, Jews were expelled from the city. The Mount of Olives lamp is one of the few material traces of a Jewish presence around Jerusalem in the 3rd-5th centuries CE.”

According to Benjamin Storchan, an Israel Antiquities Authority research archaeologist, the lamp belongs to the “Beit Nattif” type, named after its production workshop identified in the 1930s near Bet Shemesh.

The nozzle and lamp shoulders were decorated with geometric designs, and the center features a detailed depiction of the seven-branched menorah with a tripod base.

Oil lamps with menorah decorations are exceedingly rare; only a few similar Beit Nattif type lamps can be found in the National Treasures archive. The choice of symbols on the lamp was not accidental.

“This is a fascinating testimony connecting  everyday objects and faiths among ancient Jerusalem’s inhabitants,” said Storchan. “It seems that the lamp belonged to a Jew who purchased it because of its religious affiliation and memorial to the Temple.”

“It is evident that the lamp maker dedicated a great deal of time and effort to its decoration,” added Storchan. “The lamp was made using delicately and intricately carved limestone molds using drills and chisels. The molds were made in two parts (upper and lower).”

“To create the lamp, the potter pressed the clay into the molds then pressed together,” he explained. “Finally, the vessel was fired, and it could be used. This method of producing lamps in molds allowed for refined designs, as well as the addition of delicate and intricate decorations.”

“The Temple menorah became a Jewish symbol in the Second Temple period. However, after the Temple’s destruction, the menorah image became an important icon in the Jewish collective memory both within Israel and the Diaspora,” he continued.

“The menorah occasionally appears on personal objects such as oil lamps, which – being an illumination vessel, perhaps evoked a feeling of lighting the Temple menorah.”