Akeldama

 Akeldama: The Field of Blood Matthew 27:3-10 Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it.” He threw down the pieces of silver in … Continue reading  Akeldama

“Doughnut Type” Oil Lamp

Through the center of the oil reservoir the potter constructed a hollow column which, presumably, the lamp could be attached to a stick or peg for fixing it where the owner wanted the lamp to shine.

This feature would prove ideal if the owner used the lamp in a tent for example. The dirt floor of a tent provided a place to plant the stick and hence the light anywhere it was needed.

The lamp also could be fixed on a very long stick to illumine out of reach areas whether they were elevated or even underground (if the stick was placed into the lamp from the top and secured underneath.

Finally, it may have had usage in a permanent dwelling by placing the lamp through a peg in the wall at an acute angle where the lamp’s side opposite the wick would have rested against the wall.

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9th Century B.C. North African Oil Lamps

9th Century B.C. African Oil Lamps

The rest of the oil lamp pictures will be much better than this one. These were unique lamps and the earliest from the region. The clay lamp technology and culture came from Phoenicia from where settlers from Tyre and probably other cities crossed the Mediterranean in in their vessels and established a colony in present day Tunisia.

The information I am posting comes from a combination of personal knowledge and the museum’s placards next to the display case. I took pictures of the placards to retrieve the information.

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“Who is This?…

“Who is This?” In Matthew.21.1 we have the account of the “Triumphal Entry” of Jesus from the Mount of Olives at Bethphage to the entrance of Jerusalem. This fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9.9 which depicted the Messianic King humbly riding on a donkey and the colt of a donkey. Frequent readers of the Bible will be familiar with the scene of the people spreading … Continue reading “Who is This?…

Preview of August Photoblog Posts

Psalm 119.105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Metaphorically, the Psalmist tells his readers that God’s word enables wise choices for every decision in his life. He uses the revealed truth to keep from stumbling into sin and its consequences. He wants to continue to enjoy God’s blessing uninterrupted. Ancient Hebrews used clay oil lamps into which olive … Continue reading Preview of August Photoblog Posts