Lucerne with owl. Rome, I - II century A.D.

Lucerne with owl. Rome, I - II century A.D.
Terracotta.
Provenance: Private collection of Mr. Paul Lièvre, France.
Measurements: 10,5 cm long.

The owl represented on the central disk gives to this lucerne a particularly attractive symbolic reading. Associated in the classical world with Athena/Minerva, the owl was an emblem of wisdom, vigilance and intelligence, and its presence in an oil lamp establishes a suggestive relationship between physical light and the clarity of knowledge.

The piece presents a careful circular composition, with the figurative motif framed by concentric moldings and an upper part decorated with scrolls. The terracotta retains an intense reddish hue, with surface wear and deposits that accentuate its archaeological character without hindering the clear reading of the relief.

This type of skylight was part of everyday Roman life, illuminating domestic, funerary or ritual spaces. However, their decoration went beyond the purely functional: motifs such as the owl introduced cultural and religious references recognizable to the ancient user.