Levantine, 4th-6th century AD. A large terracotta oil lamp with lentoid-section, tear-shaped body, handle formed as a stylised animal head, oval hole to the disc and nozzle, shallow basal ring bordered by scrolled flourishes and circular motifs in low raised relief, raised concentric circles and scallops around the disc, dashed lines to the shoulders. Porat, R., Zissu, B., Davidovich, U., Langford, B., 'Votive Offerings from the Late Roman Period in the Te'omim Cave, Western Jeralem Hills' in Tal., O., Weiss, Z., Expressions of Cult in the Southern Levant in the Greco-Roman Period, Brepols, 2017, pp.111-130. 140 grams, 14cm (5 1/2"). Collection of a deceased London gentleman, 1979-1999, by descent. Similar lamps have been discovered in Cistern I at Beit Nattif and aremon elsewhere in Judea. According to some authors they should be regarded as a variant of the Beit Nattif lamps, in this case with a special goat handle. Beit Natif is a site located in southern Judea where a workshop has been excavated. The lamps found at the site were mould-made and similar in design to Samaritan lamps in that they had a round body, concave nozzle, large fill hole, and decorated shoulder, generally with geometric or floral motifs. [No Reserve]