A buff terracotta oil lamp, decorated with a geometric pattern of zig-zag lines between three groups of ladder patterns below the nozzle. The lamp stands on a ring base.
 
Samaritan Holy Land: Circa 4th Century AD.
 
Fine condition; complete and intact.
Length 8.5 cms (3.3 ins).
 
Published: Item 751: Oil Lamps of the Holy Land: The Adler Collection; Israel 2004
 
Provenance: Ex Judge Steve Adler collection Jerusalem, acquired since the 1960's. Exported with export approval licence of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
 
The Samaritans occupied the region of modern-day Tel Aviv to Haifa. The Samaritans were not Jewish, Muslim, or Christian. They were a distinct religious group descended from the northern tribes of biblical Israel, specifically the tribes of Ephraim, Menashe, and Levi. They developed a unique culture, including special symbols, art, and oil lamps. Samaritan lamps are characterized by their shape and decorations and appear from the end of the Roman period to the early Islamic period.