by Antonia Plummer
Oil lamps, like candles, were used as a source of light before the invention of electricity. The lamps in our collection are mostly made of clay, but basic lamps were sometimes made by filling a shell with oil and placing a wick in it.
Figure 1 Labelled Diagram of a Basic Oil Lamp.
Drawn by Antonia Plummer
All fires require a source of fuel, heat, and oxygen in order to remain alight. Oil lamps use oil as their fuel source. Throughout history lamps have used animal fat/blubber or oil made from nuts and seeds. The oil gets put in the pouring hole in the middle; a wick gets put in the wick hole to the side. The wick touches the oil in the fuel chamber and absorbs it, carries it to the lit end of the wick, and uses it to sustain the fire. Lamps often have a small protrusion that is used as a handle which allows the lamp to be carried safely even as it begins to heat up.
