Roman Oil Lamp, Mercury Riding A Rooster

Lamp Details

The exact meaning of this motif is unclear, although images of young men riding roosters do appear in Greek art, where the reference clearly depicts the tradition of giving a rooster as a love gift. 

Another interpretation, although the two versions are not mutually exclusive, is that the rooster represents the birth of a new day, whilst Mercury is the bringer of good luck and good fortune.  

This type of lamp would have shone out through the dark winter nights across this far northern outpost of the Roman Empire, providing a warming glow in houses, temples, military camps, milecastles and turrets along the length of Hadrian’s Wall. The lamp is a fully functional replica that can be used to burn olive oil just as the original would have done. This lamp comes with one cotton wick so that you can use your lamp as soon as you have read the safety instructions. One wick will give you hours of light if used correctly, but should you wish to have more than one wick; you can purchase spare wicks by following this link: Lamp Wicks

'Add To Cart' items are ready to send straight away. Please be aware that if bought alongside 'Pre-order' items, your order will be sent when all items are ready. 

'Pre-order' items are made to order, and we will dispatch them as soon as we have handcrafted them for you; this usually takes 90 days, but international orders can take a little longer.

Production

As with all our Museum Quality Replicas, we have made this pot, as the original would have been, entirely by hand from natural clay and using replicas of the types of tools that the ancient makers would have used. As each pot varies, you may not receive the vessel in the image, but you can be sure that your pot will be one of a kind due to the variations caused by the firing process. 

Materials

Terracotta earthenware with a red slip finish

Dimensions

Approx 120mm long

Variations

The lamp is available in both white clay and red terracotta. Approx 120mm long

Health and Safety

Before attempting to use your lamp, you must read the operating and safety instructions. 

Burn ONLY OLIVE OIL in your lamp.

DO NOT use modern lamp oil or other flammable liquids.

Place the lamp on a stable, non-absorbent and non-flammable surface, far from any sources of heat. 

Always snuff out the flame, never blow it out. Never use water to extinguish the flame.

DO NOT attempt to move or pick up your lamp whilst it is lit.

Ensure that there are no flammable materials above or near the lamp. 

DO NOT leave your lamp unattended whilst it is lit.

Keep the wick trimmed very short to ensure a clean, bright flame and reduce the risk of fire.

This lamp is not a toy; KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.

Use of this lamp is at your own risk; we cannot take responsibility for accidents or injury caused by the use of this lamp.

Extinguish the lamp by snuffing it out with a metal spoon. 

Instructions

Before filling your lamp, adjust the wick so that it does not protrude above the edge of the wick aperture.

Fill the lamp with olive oil through the filler hole in the centre (allow the wick to soak for 1 hour before lighting for the first time).

Light the lamp. If the flame produces smoke, shorten the wick. This can be done by gripping the wick with tweezers through the filler hole and gently turning it round, rewinding the wick into the wick aperture. This should not be done whilst the lamp is lit, or the wick is still hot. 

Postage

All items are sent using a second class postal service; if you wish to have an item sent first class, please contact me for a quote. Many Thanks