Pinched-Rim Oil Lamps, c. 2200 - 30 B.C.
By Joseph T. Sermarini
This
type of
lamp has many nicknames including: pinched-rim, cocked hat, saucer, and shell
lamps. Most specimens discussed below are finds from Israel, but similar
lamps are found in
Egypt, Lebanon,
Cyprus and all over the Mediterranean seacoast where it was influenced by
Phoenicia during the period. Most pinched-rim oil
lamps can be roughly dated by the width of the spout, the height of the base and the prominence of the rim opposite the nozzle. The earliest spouts are wide and only slightly pinched, latter spouts were more deeply folded. The height of the base grew over time. On the earliest
lamps the edge of the
bowl is vertical with no outward
folded rim; later they were everted and grew wider over time. Most of the earliest
lamps have a round bottom, with no distinct base. The last
lamps of Southern Israel have a high stepped base comprised of a disk base on a distinct heel. On some of the latest Iron Age
lamps the rim becomes so wide and the base so thick that the oil receptacle appears somewhat impractically small. The simple pinched-rim form had a revival in the Hellenistic period, at which time the
lamps were smaller and of a finer clay.
References
Adler, N.
Oil Lamps of the Holy Land from the Adler Collection. (Israel, 2004), pp. 2-5, nos. 1.1.1-1.3.32
Adler, S.
Adler Collection Website -
http://www.steve-adler.com/OilLampsMain.htmAmiran, R.
Ancient Pottery of the Holy Land From its Beginning in the Neolithic Period to the End of the Iron Age. (
New Brunswick, NJ, 1970).
Djuric, S.
The Anawati Collection, Ancient Lamps From the Mediterranean. (Toronto, 1995), pp. 11-13, C1-C9.
Douglas, D.
Ancient Near Eastern Oil Lamps: A Perspective on Ancient Jewish Oil Lamps from the Chalcolithic to Byzantine Period (4500 B.C.E. – 640 C.E.). (Toronto, 2016), pp. 44-81.
Frangié, D. & J. Salles (eds.).
Lampes antiques du Bilad Es-Sham, Jordanie, Syrie, Liban, Palestine, Actes du colloque international, Pétra-Amman, 6-13 novembre 2005. (
Paris, 2011), pp. 253-257.
Israeli, Y. & U. Avida.
Oil-Lamps from Eretz Israel - the Louis and Carmen Warschaw collection at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. (Jerusalem, 1988), pp. 10-11, 1-4.
Menzel, H. Antike Lampen im Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum zu Mainz. (Mainz, 1954), p. 9, 1 - 10 (some unusual lamps, see scan below).Petrie, W. Gerar. British school of archaeology in
Egypt. (
Vienna, 1928).
Rosenthal, R. & R. Sivan.
Ancient Lamps in the Schloessinger Collection.
Qedem 8.
(Jerusalem, 1978).
Sussman, V.
Oil-Lamps in the Holy Land: Saucer
Lamps: From the Beginning to the
Hellenistic Period: Collections of the
Israel Antiquities Authority. (Jerusalem, 2007). (best ref. for
type)
Tufnell, O.
Lachish: (Tell ed Duweir). (
Oxford, 1938-1958).
Tushingham, A.D.
Excavations in Jerusalem, 1961-67 Vol. I. (Toronto, 1985). (excellent for
Hasmonean)
Canaanite, Middle Bronze Age, Four-Wick Saucer Oil Lamp, c. 2200 - 1550 B.C.
This four-pinch or four wick type is the earliest type of oil lamp, made as early as 2200 B.C. The type was still made in the Middle Bronze Age to about 1550 B.C. By the end of that period, most lamps had only one pinch for only one wick.
AH21499. Four-wick oil
lamp;
Sussman p. 27, 3.19:5;
Amiran pl. 59, 1;
Adler 1.1.3;
Schloessinger Qedem 8 311;
Anawati -; 10.1 cm (4") long, 2.5 cm (1"),
Choice,
complete,
intact, earthen deposits, Hebrew ink markings on bottom, Middle
Bronze Age, c. 2200 - 1550 B.C.;
pottery, coarse pinkish-buff clay, wheel made saucer, rim
pushed inward on four sides, creating a squared form with a channels in
each corner for a wick, slightly convex flat bottom, from
Alex G. Malloy;
scarce
Canaanite, Middle Bronze Age II, Pinched-Rim Saucer Oil Lamp, c. 1730 - 1550 B.C.
The earliest Palestinian lamp was the wheel-made saucer with four pinched corners, forming a square lamp with four wick channels. Although the four wick lamp continued to be produced, this later one wick type became increasingly popular and became the prototype for almost all the lamps that followed.
AH21498. Pinched-rim saucer oil
lamp;
Sussman p. 45, 5.27:1;
Amiran pl. 59, 9;
Adler 1.1.7;
Schloessinger Qedem 8 315;
Gerar 91r; 10.1 cm (4") long, 2.5 cm (1") high,
Collectible,
complete,
intact except for small chips in edge (visible in photo), base marked with ink, "MB IIB 1730 - 1550 BC",
pottery, coarse pinkish-buff clay, wheel made shallow
bowl, pinch in the rim for wick, pinch pulled outward to protrude from the body, simple flat bottom, from
Alex G. Malloy
Late Bronze Age IIA, Pinched-Rim Oil Lamp, c. 1400 - 1300 B.C.
It was in the Late Bronze Age when the pinch first almost closed forming a long pointed spout. This type continued into the early Iron Age. The everted rim on the bowl and an added base were not yet developed. Smaller lamps with a flattened bottom appear only in northern Israel. This lamp type, larger with a round bottom, appears throughout Israel. This type continues into Iron Age II but with an everted lip on the bowl growing wider, the bowl getting shallower, and the height of the base increasing over time.
Tufnell divided the multitude of Late Bronze Age lamps found a Lachish into different classes:
Class
C (1550-1500 BC): Wide open spout, spout higher than bowl rim, shallow
bowl, flat rim (not everted), flattened or rounded bottom.
Class D
(1500-1400 BC): Wide open spout, central part of bowl is higher than
back or spout, deeper bowl, flat rim (not everted), flattened or
rounded bottom.
Class E (1400-1300 BC): Strongly pinched spout, flat rim (not everted), flattened or rounded bottom.
Class F (1400-1300 BC): Heavy flanged (everted) rim, spout higher than the bowl.
Class G (1300-1200 BC): Prominent wide flanged (everted) rim, spout higher than Class F.
AL111482. Iron Age, pinched-rim oil
lamp; cf.
Tufnell class E;
Sussman 2007 595 - 600; Alder 1.1.8;
Qedem 8 316,
Choice,
complete and
intact, encrusted, soot on nozzle, 12.9cm (5 1/8") long, 13.2cm (5 1/4") wide, 50cm (2") tall, c. 1400 - 1300 B.C.; wheel-made, coarse pinkish-buff clay, chalk inclusions, thick walled shallow
bowl, narrow folded spout, round bottom, rim flattened but not everted; found in Israel, with Israel Antiquities Authority export approval certificate
Kingdom of Israel - Divided Kingdoms, Iron Age IIA, Pinched-Rim Oil Lamp, c. 1000 - 925 B.C.
United Kingdom of Israel, ruled buy the kings Saul, David, and Solomon dates, c. 1020 - 922 BCE. The First Temple Period was 970 - 586 BCE. The United Kingdom divided into the Kingdom of Israel and The Kingdom of Judah in 922 BC. The Northern Kingdom of Israel was destroyed by Assyria in Neo-Assyrian Empire, c. 720 BCE. The Kingdom of Judah fell to the Babylonian Kingdom 587 BCE.
AA78089. Iron Age, pinched-rim oil
lamp; cf.
Sussman 982; Alder 1.2.12;
Qedem 8 319,
Superb condition; 11.8cm (4 5/8") long, 12.2cm (4 3/4") wide, 3.5cm, Iron Age IIA, c. 1000 - 925 B.C.; wheel-made,
pink orange clay, cream slip, thin-walled shallow
bowl, lip everted, narrow folded spout,
round bottom with clay added to the underside of the turned bowl; ex Mera Antiq (Yossi Eilon, Tel Aviv), found in Israel
Kingdom of Judah, Iron Age IIB, Pinched-Rim Oil Lamp, Iron Age IIB, c. 925 - 700 B.C.
The referenced very similar lamp, Sussman 1187, was found at Tell Halif, the expansive remains of the Iron Age town in the northeastern Negev on the border between the hill country and the Shephelah. The town was destroyed by the Assyrian king Sennacherib during his 701 B.C. campaign into southern Palestine. The low string-cut base is the primary difference between this Iron Age IIB lamp and earlier Iron Age IIA lamps. Similar lamps were made in the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
AH21513. Pinched-rim oil lamp; Sussman 1187 (Tell Halif); Schloessinger 319, Adler 1.2.12; 12.4 cm (4 7/8") long, 12.8 cm (5") wide, 4.2 cm (1 5/8") tall, Collectible, intact,
some minor cracking, complete except for a small chip missing from the
underside of the nozzle (partially visible in the photograph), light
lime deposits, pinkish clay, wheel-made with pinched-in rim for wick, folded flat rim opposite the nozzle, very low string-cut disk base; from Alex G. Malloy
Kingdom of Judah, Iron Age IIC, Pinched-Rim Oil Lamp with Thick Base, 720 - 586 B.C.
The thick base type began late 8th century B.C. Many similar lamps listed by Sussman were found at Tell Beit Mirsim, an archaeological site in Israel, on the border between the Shfela and Mount Hebron. It was excavated for four seasons (1926, 1928, 1930 and 1932) by William F. Albright. Sussman writes that thick heavy, ungainly bases of are characteristic of this last stage of the Iron Age - particularly in Southern Palestine. She also notes that the types is clumsier, receptacle smaller and many of the lamps are unstable. Alex Malloy says this type is scarce and is not found above Meggedo.
The final phase of the Iron Age in Palestine ended in 586 B.C. with the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians.
Pinched-rim lamp, Sussman p. 66, figure 7.37:1; 1387 ff. (Tell Beit Mirsim), 12.2 cm (4 3/4") long; 11.9 cm (4 5/8") wide, 6.2 cm (2 3/8") tall, Choice, complete and intact,
Iron Age IIC, 720 - 586 B.C.; reddish clay with cream slip, wheel-made
with wheel marks on the outside (probably intended to be decorative),
strongly pinched spout forming an elongated channel and U-shaped spout,
near vertical saucer walls, rounded turned-out rim, thick bottom, thick rough irregular (carelessly made) flat "stump" base; ex Zak's Antiquities (Jerusalem, Oct 2020)
AH21545. Pinched-rim lamp, Sussman p. 66, figure 7.37:1; 1387 ff. (Tell Beit Mirsim), 12.2 cm (4 3/4") long; 11.9 cm (4 5/8") wide, 6.2 cm (2 3/8") tall, Average, chipped nozzle (visible in photos), Iron Age IIC, 720 - 586 B.C.; reddish clay with cream slip, wheel-made with wheel marks on the outside (probably intended to be decorative), strongly pinched spout forming an elongated channel and U-shaped spout, near vertical saucer walls, rounded turned-out rim, thick bottom, thick rough irregular (carelessly made) flat "stump" base; from Alex G. Malloy; scarce
AH21501. Pinched-rim stepped-base
lamp,
Sussman p. 69, figure 8.38:2;
Gerar 91u;
Amiran -; 12.8 cm (5") wide, 11.8 cm (4 5/8") long, 5.9 cm (2 3/8") tall,
Choice,
complete except for tiny chip in the rim (visible in photo), a few thin cracks (probably as made), traces of a white slip, Iron Age IIC, 700 - 586 B.C.; pinkish clay with traces of a white slip, wheel-made with pinched-in rim for wick, shallow receptacle with a broad fairly flat rim, stepped base with a distinct disk on a thick heavy heal; from
Alex G. Malloy;
scarce
This Hasmonean era lamp type imitates the style of much earlier Bronze and Iron Age pinched rim oil lamps. During the Hasmonean era, these archaic imitative lamps, more finely made and smaller than most of the originals, were popular in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. They reconnected the Jewish people to the golden age of the Davidic dynasty five centuries before.
AL78081. Hasmonean Judaea Archaic Style Folded Buff Oil Lamp; Tushingham fig. 24, 9, Superb
condition, buff clay, wheel made then folded, soot on nozzle; 8.7cm (3
3/8") long, 5.7cm (2 1/4") wide, 3.0cm (1 1/4") high, ex Archaeological
Center (Robert Deutsch, Tel Aviv, Israel), auction 53 (2012), lot 125; found in Israel
AL78083. Hasmonean Judaea Archaic Style Folded Buff Oil Lamp; Tushingham fig. 22, 7, Superb
condition, 8.3cm (3 1/4") long, 4.5cm (1 3/4") wide, 3.5cm (1 3/8")
high; buff clay, wheel made then folded, soot on nozzle, ex
Archaeological Center (Robert Deutsch, Tel Aviv, Israel), auction 53 (2012), lot 125; found in Israel 
AL78082. Hasmonean Judaea Archaic Style Folded Buff Oil Lamp; Tushingham fig. 24, 9, Choice condition, tiny chip in nozzle, 7.2cm (2 7/8") long, 4.7cm (1 7/8") wide, 3.3cm (1 1/4") high; buff clay, wheel made then folded, soot on nozzle, ex Barakat Antiquities (Old City Jerusalem), found in Israel
Judaean Kingdom, Hasmonean Dynasty (Maccabees), Miniature Archaic Style Folded Buff Oil Lamp, c. 167 - 37 B.C.
This tiny Hasmonean era lamp imitates a shape and high base of pinched-rim stepped base oil lamps used in the Kingdom of Judah during the Iron Age IIC, 720 - 586 B.C. During the Hasmonean era, archaic imitative lamps were popular in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. They reconnected the Jewish people to the golden age of the Davidic dynasty centuries before. This particular specimen is particularly small, less that half the size of most of the Hasmonean imitatives and would fit inside of the bowl of most similarly shaped Iron Age lamps.
AA78096. Hasmonean Judaea Archaic Style Folded Buff Oil Lamp; Tushingham fig. 22, 7 (larger and without high base), Choice
condition, tiny chip in base; 5.2cm (2") long, 4.0cm (1 5/8") wide,
2.7cm (1 1/8") high, buff clay with chalk inclusions, strongly pinched
spout forming an elongated channel and U-shaped spout, near vertical
saucer walls, rounded turned-out rim, thick flat "stump" base; ex Mera Antiq (Yossi Eilon) Tel Aviv, found in Israel
Menzel, H. Antike Lampen im Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum zu Mainz. (Mainz, 1954), p. 9, 1 - 10.
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