Small Terracotta Oil Lamp from the Roman Empire w/ Eagle Motif - 4¾"

Carved in terracotta and bearing the marks of ancient use, this petite Roman-era oil lamp from Carthage offers a rare and tangible link to classical antiquity. Its compact form is centered around a finely modeled Roman eagle in low relief, wings spread in quiet vigilance, surrounded by incised details that frame the composition with subtle rhythm and balance. A small pierced handle at the rear would have allowed the lamp to be suspended by a cord, while traces of ancient charring at the spout speak to its functional past.

These utilitarian objects, used to illuminate domestic interiors, shrines, or sanctuaries, were both practical and symbolic, often decorated with protective or imperial motifs. The eagle, an enduring emblem of Roman authority and power, makes this example especially evocative.

Its intimate scale and evocative surface patina lend it strong sculptural presence, whether displayed in a cabinet of curiosities, alongside other antiquities, or on a writing desk as a reminder of the distant past and the enduring beauty of early craftsmanship.