Stand, late 300s. Byzantium, Syria, early Byzantine period, late 4th century. Silver; overall: 42.6 x 16 cm (16 3/4 x 6 5/16 in.). Numerous oil lamps of various shapes and sizes have survived from the late Roman and early Byzantine periods. Most served a basic utilitarian function and were plainly fashioned from clay or bronze. However, a few more elaborate examples, such as this one, have survived in silver. Embellished with an elegant horse-head handle, this lamp was made to fit on the nearby stand, thus offering its owner flexibility of function.