Roman oil lamp with lion head
Well roared, lion! This is an old replica of a Roman oil lamp with a fully plastic lion's head in the mirror.
The lion has long been the most popular heraldic animal. It symbolizes courage and dominance, as it is considered the king of beasts. The lion has been depicted since the Stone Age. Thus, the Ice Age hunters already depicted the lion figuratively more than 30,000 years ago. Incidentally, the characteristic of the lion as "king of beasts," which is widespread in many cultures, can be traced back to the influence of the Physiologus, an early Christian book on animal symbolism with great influence on Western culture. The royal symbolism repeated itself throughout history, always to announce or affirm claims to power - for example, by Henry the Lion. The fascination emanating from the power of the animal is still evident today in the multitude of coats of arms on which the lion is depicted in a wide variety of colors and shapes.
- incl. 2 wicks
- plastic relief head
- handmade
- made in Spain
In ancient times, the lion was widespread throughout the Mediterranean region. In ancient Greek mythology, lions appear in various functions: for example, the Nemëan lion was depicted as a man-eating beast, which to kill was one of the tasks of Heracles. The winged lion is mentioned in the Bible, for example, and in Christian iconography is attributed to the evangelist Mark. The lion also plays a role in numerous other ancient cultures. In Egypt, for example, pharaohs were depicted as sphinxes, lions with human heads. The most famous representation is the Sphinx of Giza.
The oil lamp, based on an ancient model, is made of reddish clay and is fired to a very high temperature. From the inside it is glazed for protection. It can be fired with cooking oil or olive oil. The delivery includes two spare wicks.
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