Handmade Herodian Oil Lamp, Ancient-Style Clay Lamp

Each guest at my Passover table had their own oil lamp this year and we had a lot of fun with them. We filled with a cheaper olive oil and used some pieces of wick I tied together to make them long enough. Why the seller does not offer wicks? I don't know--ya can't light them without a wick!

I haven't been able to try out this lamp yet, as it does not come with a wick. The construction of the lamp leaves a bit to be desired. A clay artisan would typically take more pride in their work, and not leave such rough edges and seams. This makes it look like it was made in China and lessens the authenticity in my estimation. However, at a glance, the overall look is authentic, and I consider it a nice reference point when talking about lamp usage in Bible stories. Since it makes a light, it's also just another handy light source when the power goes out. It really ought to have come with a wick, though.

I ordered this lamp for its charm and appearance. But the lamp I received is too roughly and sloppily made to enjoy, or deem to be worth the price. The moment I unwrapped it, I noticed that it has an unfinished texture to the point of being uncomfortable to hold - like holding sandpaper. The bottom is very rough. I feel I have to be careful what surfaces I place it on in order to prevent scratches. You can see in my photos several of the obvious imperfections, including a large drip of paint. In their description, they mention that you can expect variations in texture and appearance. That is completely understandable, but my complaints aren’t about the uniqueness - they are about the workmanship.

Work with olive oil. Does not come with wick - basic cotton wick works fine. Really cool functional piece.

For the price, this really isn't a bad little lamp. Handmade anything can quickly get terribly expensive. It has a rustic look, and while I appreciate that it is handmade, and is a rustic type of style, some of the clay shaping on the bottom and inside the lamp was really rough, and felt like it could actually cut something. I worry about putting it on anything other than my granite counter top, because I think it could scratch a wood surface. However, since these are all different and unique through the handmaking process, your lamp may be smoother. I would just check the bottom to see if there are any rough spots that could scratch whatever surface you place it on. This doesn't come with a wick so you will have to source or make one. I used a piece of 100% cotton string, and it worked well after being thoroughly soaked in the oil. The size is small enough you can tuck it away on a shelf without taking up much room. This isn't going to provide enough light to do reading or school work with, but it can provide a little bit of aesthetic and atmosphere for rituals, services, or even use outside. I filled my lamp with vegetable oil full of essential oils that we used in our torches for bug prevention. It works great with the oil, and produces more scent than the actual citronella torches with a much smaller flame.

This came with no wick, which was a bit annoying. I mean, you can get a wick fairly easily, but it's nice to have one that's properly sized and intended for the lamp. The one I got was too wide for the opening and the lamp tended to go out. Otherwise it is roughly made, but that is in keeping with its authentic intent. It's fairly small and rather a shiny shade of brown. Unfired on the bottom and hastily painted on the top, it looks like something that was mass produced in 800 BC. A good tool for teaching children (or adults) "how things were in the old days", as well as a little bit of science and history. It's sturdy and will survive a fall or two, although probably not three. And if you can keep it burning it's reasonably bright, at least for a small oil lamp. The oil you use will determine the brightness and the smell, but I used olive oil and it wasn't too smoky. For what is it worked fine, but it could've had a wick.

I'm kind of a lighting nerd so thought I would try out this little lamp. I was worried about it being broken in shipping, but it was so well wrapped up in bubble wrap that it arrived safely. The lamp is pretty well made. The mold seam on the bottom sticks out a bit much, so the lamp doesn't sit completely flush. It isn't going to tip over, but it does rock from side to side a bit. It would be nice if a wick was included. Surprisingly, I was able to find one at my house that does work, although it's probably too big. I'm not sure what size is needed or if it really even matters just as long as it will fit. I filled the lamp up with olive oil, let the wick soak for a bit, and then lit the little lamp. It works fine and the light is pretty much the same light as from a candle. For the price of $10 dollars it's worth it, but they really should include a with with the lamp.

This little oil lamp is a great teaching tool for Sunday School lessons, VBS, Bible schools, etc. I originally hadn't planned on actually using it as an oil lamp, but I decided to give it a try: I filled up the reservoir with olive oil and put a piece of string in the wick hole and lit it. It burned well, had a very slight olive odor to it, and was easy to use. I'm glad I tried that--I think using it as an actual lamp is going to make lessons even more memorable. This oil lamp looks good (and presumably historically accurate--I don't know!) and sits stable so I wasn't concerned about it tipping over once lit. It feels durable but I'd be cautious about kids handling it because I'm not sure how durable it would be--it looks like the kind of thing that would shatter if dropped. For the price of about $10, it's a good deal for a teaching tool or even a home decoration.