Oil Lamps

Physical identification

Mold-made and wheel-made lamps from domestic and ritual contexts. Record dimensions, weight, manufacture, surfaces, repairs, labels, mounts and inscriptions before cleaning or treatment.

Key cautions

• Compare fabric, mold seams and nozzle wear.
• Popular motifs are extensively reproduced.
• Soot alone does not prove antiquity.

Provenance and lawful movement

Ask when the object first appeared outside the ground, who owned it, where it was located, how it left its likely source country and whether the seller warrants good title in writing.

Authenticity and conservation

Condition and authenticity can be intertwined. Artificial deposits, modern joins and restored surfaces may disguise manufacture. No single photograph, certificate or test proves the complete history of an object.