Peacock Oil Lamp
| Culture | Byzantine |
|---|---|
| Title | Peacock Oil Lamp |
| Date | 5th–7th century |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Dimensions | Object: 5 1/4 × 4 3/4 × 2 1/16 in. (13.3 × 12.1 × 5.2 cm) Overall: 5 1/4 × 4 3/4 × 2 1/16 in. (13.3 × 12.1 × 5.2 cm) |
| Credit Line | Burton Y. Berry Collection, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 64.48.1 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
An oil lamp in the form of a peacock with a hinged cover over the oil reservoir on the back and a hole for the wick insertion on top of the truncated circular tail-end. There are incised details throughout the body.
Bronze oil lamps were more expensive, and often, more elaborate versions of the terracotta oil lamps that were used throughout the ancient world to light interior rooms in houses and public buildings. They became very popular in Byzantine cities. Since the Greco-Roman religions, ancient Egyptian religion, Christianity, and Judaism coexisted in this period, lamps as well as other domestic objects often utilized decorations that were meaningful to these various groups. The peacock, for instance, was a symbol associated with the Greco-Roman goddess Juno (Hera); it also became known as a symbol for the resurrection of Christ.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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"Peacock Oil Lamp | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=64.48.1