Ca. 200-300 AD. A terracotta oil lamp of a teardrop shape, with a small spout and a central recess for filling oil. The main body of the lamp is fashioned in the likeness of a frog, complete with detailed features such as bulging eyes, webbed feet, and a stylized back. The Romano-Egyptian terracotta oil lamp demonstrates the fusion of Egyptian and Roman artistic styles and techniques. The use of oil lamps was widespread in the ancient world, serving as a primary source of artificial light before the advent of electricity. The invention of oil lamps is believed to date back to the Bronze Age, and they continued to be used throughout antiquity and the Middle Ages. In addition to their practical uses, oil lamps also held symbolic and cultural significance, reflecting the artistic and religious traditions of the cultures that produced them.Size: L:72mm / W:58mm ; 70gProvenance: Private UK collection; From an old London collection formed in the 1990s.