Oil lamp facts for kids

A traditional oil lamp

Traditional oil lamp with a Christian symbol

An oil lamp is a simple device used to make light. It works by burning oil, like olive oil or other plant oils. For a long time, before electricity, oil lamps were a very common way to light up homes and streets. They were often cleaner and produced less smoke than candles.

What are Oil Lamps?

Oil lamps are special containers that hold oil and a wick. The wick soaks up the oil, and when you light the wick, it burns slowly, giving off light. People have used oil lamps for thousands of years to brighten their surroundings.

How Oil Lamps Work

The basic idea of an oil lamp is quite simple. A small string or piece of cloth, called a wick, is placed into a pool of oil. One end of the wick sits in the oil, soaking it up. The other end sticks out and is lit with a flame. The oil then burns steadily, creating light.

Materials Used for Lamps

Oil lamps were made from many different materials. You could find them made of pottery (like clay), metal, or even glass. The type of material often depended on where and when the lamp was made. Some lamps were very plain, while others were beautifully decorated.

Types of Oil Used

For a long time, people used natural oils to fuel their lamps. Early lamps often burned olive oil or other vegetable oils, which were easy to find. In the 1700s and 1800s, some lamps even burned whale oil. These oils provided a steady flame that was brighter and cleaner than many other light sources of the time.

Oil Lamps in Stories

Oil lamps are so old that they even appear in famous stories! One example is the tale of Aladdin from the collection of stories called the 1001 Nights. In the story, Aladdin finds an old lamp. When he cleans it, a magical Genie appears. This shows how important lamps were in daily life and imagination.

When Oil Lamps Changed

By the late 1800s, oil lamps started to be replaced. New types of lamps, especially kerosene lamps, became more popular. Kerosene lamps were often brighter and more efficient. Later, with the invention of electricity, electric lights began to take over, making oil lamps less common for everyday lighting. However, oil lamps are still used today in some places and for special traditions.

Images for kids

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  Group of ancient lamps (Hellenistic and Roman)

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  Simple contemporary Indian clay oil lamp during Diwali

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  Sukunda oil lamp of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

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  Oil lamp of Korea

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  Double-nozzled terracotta oil lamp found in Samaria

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  Jewish terracotta oil lamps from Sardinia in the Museo Nazionale Sanna, Sassari

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  Oil lamp burning before the icon of St. Mercurius of Smolensk, Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Ukraine

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  Paavai vilakku: brass oil lamp from Tamil Nadu in the image of Andal

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  A Deepalakshmi oil lamp from Kumbakonam

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  Traditional Chinese shrine in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, containing an oil lamp

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  Neolithic stone lamps in the Thousand Lamp Museum in Qiandeng, Kunshan, Suzhou

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  Seal oil lamps

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  Terracotta lamp

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  A terracotta oil lamp of the Roman Imperial era (replica)

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  A late antique oil lamp showing a human figure identified as Christ.

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  Early Islamic oil lamps (11th century), found in Southern Portugal

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  Lamps in a temple at Wayanad, Kerala, India

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  A basic earthen oil lamp used for Diwali

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  Lighting of a Kuthuvilakku

See also

In Spanish: Lámpara de aceite para niños