1,500-Year-Old Clay Lamp: Archaeological Discovery Revealed in Zippori National Park

During conservation work in Zippori National Park, archaeologists uncovered an amazing discovery: a nearly intact clay vessel, which upon cleaning was revealed to be an ancient lamp estimated to have been created in the Byzantine period about 1,500 years ago. This unique lamp will be transferred for further treatment and research at the Israel Antiquities Authority, and later, it will be displayed to the public at the National Campus for Archaeology of Israel in Jerusalem.

The Israel Nature and Parks Authority explains that the small lamp has a rectangular opening in the front, surrounded by about 55 perforations, used as 'light slots'. To light the lamp, a lit oil candle was needed to be placed inside the lamp and hung in the desired location. From the Second Temple period to the Talmud and Mishnah periods, oil candles and lamps symbolized faith, identity, and purity.

Dr. Dror Ben-Yosef, an archaeologist with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, commented on the ancient find: 'This is a relatively rare finding in the archaeology of Israel. It is only on rare occasions that we find intact lamps in excavations. The many uses of candles in homes and public buildings, as well as their connection to burial practices, led those who possessed them to see them as a medium for expressing messages through decorations with cultural and religious motifs. It is no surprise that the candle and the lamp are archaeological finds that shed much light on the beliefs and daily lives of their owners.'