A buff terracotta oil lamp, with bundle of hay below the nozzle, comb, and a sheaf of wheat on shoulders. The lamp has a star-shaped knob handle at the back and stands on a ring base.
 
Circa 4th Century AD.
 
Fine condition; complete and intact.
Length 9 cms (3.5 ins).
 
For similar motifs, see item 630: Oil Lamps of the Holy Land: The Adler Collection; Israel 2004
 
Provenance: Ex Judge Steve Adler collection Jerusalem, acquired since the 1960's.
Exported with export approval licence of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
 
The Samaritans occupied the region of modern-day Tel Aviv to Haifa. The Samaritans are not Jewish, Muslim, or Christian. They are a distinct religious group descended from the northern tribes of biblical Israel, specifically the tribes of Ephraim, Menashe, and Levi. They developed a unique culture, including special symbols, art, and oil lamps. The Samaritan lamps are characterized by their shape and decorations and appear from the end of the Roman period to the early Islamic period.