Students Create "Ancient" Oil Lamps
Before electricity, before candles, little clay lamps burned their olive oil for light. Ancient lamps have been uncovered in Israel from before the time of Abraham (2000 BC), through the time of Jesus, and beyond. The lamps were filled with olive oil through a large, central, filling hole and a smaller hole at one end held the flax wick that burned brightly as a light source thousands of years ago. Chad Chrysler and his students have re-created some of these lamps in a project at their school.
Each lamp was fashioned after real lamps that have been uncovered by archaeologists in Israel.
The soft clay has been worked with the potters hand.
After fashioning the lamps out of fresh clay, they were placed over the hot coals for firing.
After firing, the lamps were thrown directly into the hot coals to make them look old.
A flared spout and large filling hole (far left) are characteristic of lamps found in Jerusalem from the time of Jesus and are called "Herodian lamps".
Archaeologists often find a niche high in the walls of the ancient houses and caves. The black soot above each niche shows that they were used to hold the lamps up high for light.
King David said, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105)
Jesus said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)
