Lucerne Cleopatra

Handmade ceramic Roman oil lamp – Cleopatra VII

• Includes a cotton wick.
• Measures approximately 7.5 cm in diameter and 11 cm in length.
• Can be used with olive oil or any vegetable oil.

This Roman oil lamp is a reproduction of an ancient oil lamp, the original of which is preserved in the British Museum and is dated between 40 and 80 AD. 

Another Roman oil lamp with a very similar central decoration is preserved in the Musée de Die (France).

The central disc represents Cleopatra VII, the last queen of Ptolemaic Egypt, completely naked and sitting on a phallus located above a crocodile. The figure holds a palm branch and is accompanied by plant elements related to Egypt.

This curious scene is interpreted as a sexual and political mockery of Cleopatra, intended to ridicule the queen and discredit her figure. The representation is later than her death, which occurred in 30 BC, when Egypt became part of the Roman domain.

Roman oil lamps were oil lamps used to illuminate homes and other everyday spaces. Many were decorated with mythological scenes, animals, and representations of Roman society, making them interesting testimonies of the life and beliefs of antiquity.

An archaeological reproduction ideal for collectors, lovers of Roman and Egyptian history, and for those looking for a Roman oil lamp with a unique decoration.

As it is handmade, each piece may show slight differences in color and finish.

*Photograph of the original piece: Fabien Bièvre-Perrin / Musée de Die. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License CC BY-SA 4.0.