The lines, he thinks, may represent the twisted nature of the cotton wick, as they do the watering of the glass vase.
Almost the only other fact we can gather in this con- nection is, that vegetable oils were burnt in them, and especially, if not exclusively, olive -oil. This, of the finest quality, was the oil used in the seven lamps of the tabernacle (Exod. xxvii, 20). Although the lamp-oils of the Hebrews were exclusively vegetable, it is proba- ble that animal fat was used, as it is at present by the Western Asiatics, by being placed in a kind of lamp, and burnt by means of a wick inserted in it. See Oil. Cot- ton wicks are now used throughout Asia, but the He- brews, like the Egyptians, probably emjiloyed the outer and coarser libre of flax (Pliny, IJist.Nat. xix, 1), and perhaps linen yarn, if the rabbins are correct in alleging that the linen dresses of the priests were unravelled when old, to furnish wicks for the sacred lamps.
As to the material, the burners were in this instance doubtless of gold, although metal is scarcely the best substance for a lamp. The golden candlestick may also suggest that lamjis in ordinary use were placed on stands, and, where more than one was required, on stands with two or more branches. The modern Orientals, who
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are satisfied with very little light in their rooms, use stands of brass or wood, on whicli to raise the lamps to a sufficient height above the floor on which they sit. Such stands are shaped not unlike a tall candlestick, spreading out at the top. Sometimes the lamps are placed on brackets against the wall, made for the pur- pose, and often upon stools. Doubtless similar contriv- ances were employed by the Hebrews. The Komans are known to have employed them. See Candlestick.
Bronze Lamp aud Stand. From Pompeii.
2. A torch or flambeau, such as was carried by the 8oldiers of Gideon (.Judg. vii, 10, 20 ; comp. xv, 4). From the fact that these were at first enclosed in pitchers, from which, at the end of the march, they were taken out and borne in the hand, we may with certainty infer that they were not ordinary lamps, open at top, from which the oil coukl easily be spilled. See Touch.
3. It seems that the Hebrews, like the ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as the modern Orientals, were ac- customed to burn lamps overnight in their chambers; and this practice may appear to give point to the ex- pression of"o;«/e?- darkness," which repeatedly occurs in the New Testament (^\Iatt. viii, 12, xxii, 13); the force is greater, however, when the contrast implied in the term " outer" is vie'ived with reference to the effect pro- duced by sudden expulsion into the darkness of night from a chamber highly illuminated for an entertain- ment. This custom of burning lamps at night, with the effect pr(Kluced by their going out or being extinguish- ed, supplies various flgures to the sacred writers (2 Sam. xxi, 17 , Prov. xiii, 9 , xx, 20). On the other hand, the keeping up of a lamp's light is used as a symbol of en- during and unbroken succession (1 Kings xi,36, xv, 4, Psa. cxxxii, 17). (See Wemyss's Symbol. Diet. s. v.)
The usual form of these domestic utensils may prob- ably be inferred from tlie prevailing shape of antique
specimens from neighboring nations that have come down to us. In the British Museum there are various forms of ancient Egyptian lamps, which were employed for lighting the interior of apartments, some of terra- cotta and others of bronze, with various ornaments in bas-relief.
Common Funus of Aucieut Ejryptian Lamps.
Ancient Assyrian Lamps in the British Museum. 1, Bronze from north-west palace, Nimroiid. 2, Bronze from Kouyunjik. 3, 4, Terra-cotta from Warka. 5,Ter- ra-colta from Kouyunjik.
Common Form of Classical hanging Lamp. 4. It appears from Matt, xxv, ],that the Jews used lamps and torches in their marriage ceremonies, or rath- er when the bridegroom came to conduct home the bride by night. This is still the custom in those parts of the liast where, on account of the heat of the day, the bridal procession takes place in the night-time. The connec- tion of lamps and torches with marpiage ceremonies of- ten appears also in the classical poets (Homer, Iliail, vi, 492; Kur'ip. P/xritiss. 346; Jfeika, 1027; A'irgil, i>%. viii, 29), and, indeed. Hymen, the god of marriage, was figured as bearing a torcli. The same connection, it may be observed, is stiU preserved in Western Asia, even
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•where it is no longer usual to bring home the bride by night. During two. or tlirec. or more niglits preceding the wedding, tlie street or quarter in which the bride- crooni hves is illuminated with chandeliers and lanterns, or with laiuerns and small lamps suspended from cords drawn across from the bridegroom's and several other houses on each side to the houses ojiposite; and several tmall silk flags, each of two colors, generally red and
Modern Oriental W eddiiig Lantern, green, are attached to other cords (Lane, MofhEgjipt. i, 201 ; INIrs. Poole, Enr/Uslncoman in Egi/pf, iii, 131). A modern lantern much used on these occasions, with lamps hung about it and suspended from it, is represented in tlie preceding cut. The lamps used separately on such occasions are represented in the following cut. Figs. 1, 3, and 5 show very distinctly the conical receptacle of