Found inside one of the graves at an enormous Roman cemetery in the town of Cuijk, this lamp was designed to light the way to the underworld for the dead.
Municipality of Land van CuijkThe oil lamp was found at a gravesite in the Netherlands, alongside dozens of other Roman-era artifacts.
A unique oil lamp was recently discovered among the remains of an ancient Roman cemetery in Cuijk, Netherlands.
The lamp, unearthed in excellent condition, dates back to approximately the second century C.E. It’s shaped like an ornate mask, including exaggerated features such as a wide mouth and wide eyes.
It wasn’t uncommon for these mask-like oil lamps to be placed in graves during this era. Their designs take after masks from Greek theater, which appeared frequently in Roman-era architecture and decor.
The Discovery Of A Roman Oil Lamp Made To Resemble A Greek Theatrical Mask
The oil lamp was discovered at the site of a former factory that’s now being prepared for housing construction, according to the Municipality of Land van Cuijk. Artifacts dating from the Roman era to the Middle Ages have been uncovered among the foundation of this old factory.
Archaeologists believe the area in which the oil lamp was unearthed was a Roman cemetery that extended west of the current dig site. Approximately 15 precent of the entire cemetery has been explored, and once it’s all been uncovered, it’ll likely prove to be the largest Roman burial site in the province of North Brabant.
Municipality of Land van CuijkThe oil lamp’s dramatic features may be meant to resemble those of a satyr, a Greek mythical creature.
As for the newly-uncovered oil lamp, its mask design features elaborate carvings depicting botanical motifs. The face has wide eyes and an even wider mouth, which is curved upward into a slight smile. The mouth also served as the filling hole for the lamp. Underneath the head, the neck functions as the lamp’s nozzle.
On its forehead, it has a scallop shell with a large leafy headdress popping out. Curly hair fills out the side of the mask. The bushy eyebrows and the shape of the nose suggest the mask may be that of a satyr, a Greek mythical creature that is half-man and half-goat.
The mask’s design takes inspiration from masks traditionally used in Greek theater. These masks were a common decorative element in Roman architecture.
In the case of oil lamps like this one, they were believed to symbolically light the way so that the deceased could find and enter the underworld. However, this particular lamp is unique for its amount of detail and astonishing state of preservation.
The Wealth Of Ancient Artifacts Unearthed At The Roman Cemetery In Cuijk
Municipality of Land van CuijkThe oil lamp placed alongside other artifacts uncovered at the Roman cemetery in Cuijk.
The oil lamp was far from the only object uncovered by archaeologists at Cuijk. Along with identifying more than 85 graves at the site, researchers also found numerous artifacts that had been buried alongside the dead.
This included many reddish clay plates of a fine variety of pottery made with iron-rich clay from Gaul. Along with the plates, archaeologists also found handled jugs, glass bottles, and jewelry.
Archaeologists also discovered evidence of black stains from cremation in some of the square burial pits. Within these pits they also found shards of pottery, suggesting that as bodies were cremated, onlookers would throw vases and jugs into the fire as offerings.
What’s now Cuijk used to be called Ceuclum in the time of the Romans. With the large array of clay goods and other items uncovered at the cemetery site, archaeologists believe that Ceuclum would’ve had access to consumer goods from across the Roman Empire via various trade networks.
Perhaps the oil lamp itself was made in some far-off land before finding its way to Ceuclum, only to sit under the dirt for 1,900 years before finally being uncovered now.
After reading about this unique oil lamp, discover the Roman-era workshop that contained intact oil lamps. Then, learn about the fully intact Roman funerary bed found in London.
