A 1,900-year-old Roman oil lamp with unusual decoration was unearthed in August from a grave at a Roman burial site in Cuijk near the German border. Archaeologist Johan van Kampen and a team opened about 70 graves during a wider excavation in the area.
The lamp’s filling opening is shaped like a large open mouth resembling a human face, and the handle above the spout was designed as a leaf, according to Kompas. The team considered the piece rare for this region of the former Roman Empire. “Lamps with intricate decorations are rarely found in this region, let alone in such good condition. We cannot be sure this is the first in the Netherlands, but the number is very small,” said Johan van Kampen. The lamp was dated to the 2nd century CE and was found in a Roman tomb, where it likely served as a light for the deceased’s journey to the afterlife.
The lamp formed part of a set of grave goods that included pottery, glassware, and bronze items: four ceramic plates, two jugs, a cup, a glass bowl, and a bronze bowl. The assemblage was believed to have contained food and drink for the journey. “The lamp is part of that set, understood as a giver of light on the journey to the afterlife,” said van Kampen.
After cleaning, the decoration became a subject of debate among researchers. “Some believe this lamp depicts Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry in ancient Rome, but it may be a theatrical mask,” said van Kampen, according to Asriran.
During the Roman period (50 BCE-400 CE), the area now known as Cuijk was called Ceuclum and was inhabited by the Batavi. The burial ground covered about 6 hectares and much of it lay under buildings and roads. “The density of the graves is much higher than expected, and we expect to discover 350 to 400 graves,” said van Kampen, according to Asriran.
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