3rd-4th century AD. A bronze octagonal lamp of squat profile, three splayed feet and long handle with small thumb-guard; the spout formed as an elephant's head with raised hollow trunk, ears pulled back; domed hinged lid surmounted by an eagle with spread wings, strong hooked beak and pellet eyes, feather detailing to the wings and legs. 1.2 kg, 27cm (10 1/2"). Acquired in the 1990s. Private collection. Pierre Bergé & Associés, Archéologie, Paris, 29 November 2014, lot 239. Private New York collection. Northern Ireland collection. Apanied by copies of the relevant Pierre Bergé catalogue pages. Oil lamps in antiquity were made from a variety of materials, including gold, silver, lead, bronze, and ceramics. In Rome, an oil lamp was originally called a lychn, from the Greek ??????, with the oldest Roman lamps dating back to the 3rd century BC. In the age of the Roman Empire, it became ctomary to e lamps at funeral ceremonies and for public purposes. Over time, the manufacture of lamps increased in volume as a result of their wide variety of domestic applications. The variety of decorative motifs also increased, influenced primarily by the shape and size of any given lamp.[A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions .]