How lamps were made

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Starting in about the 3rd century BC, mold-made lamps were introduced into the holyland. Developed by the Greeks, the process resulted in rapid production of many lamps from one prototype. The molds were most often made of gypsum, and relatively small number of them still exist. The following simulation illustrates the process.

	A mold was made from a lamp or lamp prototype. Most lamp molds were made from plaster, though some were also carved from soft stone, and less commonly made from clay. The molds were made in two pieces, a top mold and a bottom mold. Pictured is an actual plaster bottom mold of a late Roman style lamp from Tunisia.
		Clay was pressed into each half of the mold. The edges were roughened and moistened.
			The two halves of the mold were pressed together, and the lamp allowed to partially dry in the molds.
				The mold halves were separated, and the lamp was removed
					The edges were trimmed
. The filling hole and wick hole were cut.
Sometimes decoration was added to the surface after the lamp was molded.
The lamp was allowed to dry, then fired in a kiln. Sometimes slip (dilute clay) was applied to the surface before firing. Pictured here is the authentic lamp that this simulation was modeled from.

Ancient Clay Oil Lamps from the Holy Land. Exported with permission of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
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Early Lamps	Hellenistic Lamps	Herodian Lamps	Islamic Lamps	Samaritan Lamps 1


Samaritan Lamps 2	Samaritan Lamps 3	Byzantine Lamps	Roman Lamps	Jewish Decorated Lamps


Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalms 119:105)