Description

Crusader Period Oil Lamp Decorated with Jerusalem Cross, Potter’s Fingerprint

As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, it became popular for Christians to make pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Churches were constructed throughout Israel to preserve the memory of important biblical sites. Many of the visitors to the land took small souvenirs, such as oil lamps, back home with them. Between 1095 and 1291 AD, European Christians made a series of crusades to the Holy Land. It was during this period that the iconography of the Jerusalem cross developed.

This oil lamp, which dates to the crusader period, is a lovely example of one of the types of lamps which crusaders may have taken home as souvenirs. It is made of orange clay and features a delicate design of radiating lines around the body of the lamp. The decoration on the spout includes curving lines and concentric circles, and at the base of the handle is a Jerusalem cross design. The handle represents a stylistic animal head. The potter’s fingerprint is clearly visible on the “face” of the animal, making this oil lamp extra special.

● Length: 3.7″ / 9.5 cm.

● Width: 2.3″ / 6 cm.

Jesus told his disciples,

“You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

This oil lamp from the crusader period is a reminder that Jesus’ words came true. His disciples were lights to the world, carrying the words of Jesus far and wide to people from many nations who made long, difficult journeys to visit the land of the Bible.

Antiquities from the land of the Bible are great investments and teaching tools. They bring the Bible to life in a tangible way, connecting the stories of the Bible with real artifacts that illuminate the text.