# @gettymuseum on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CXzFNZfv-qF
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/34228711-gettymuseum-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/1a3ffca912.jpg
- **Posted:** 2021-12-22T20:14:19.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Getty (@gettymuseum) — https://gondola.cc/gettymuseum

## Caption

Join #ConnectingCollections this month as we explore celebrations and religious holidays across the ancient world.

Io Saturnalia—Happy Saturnalia! There's still one more day to celebrate the seven-day ancient Roman holiday, a time of merrymaking in honor of Saturn, god of seed-sowing and agriculture, in the hopes of a fruitful spring harvest. 

Ancient accounts give colorful descriptions of the festivities. In Rome, the holiday would start off with a religious ceremony in the Temple of Saturn, followed by a free public banquet open to all. The Roman poet Statius gave this five-star review of the emperor's Saturnalia feast: "Who can sing of the spectacle, the unrestrained mirth, the banqueting, the unbought feast, the lavish streams of wine? Ah! now I faint, and drunken with thy liquor drag myself at last to sleep."

Gift exchanges were an important part of the holiday—popular gifts included small figurines made of wax or clay, wax candles, and oil lamps. During the dark days around the solstice, candles were reminders of the sun's return after winter. 

In Roman homes, wax candles were placed as offerings on household altars to Saturn, especially during the final days of the festival. This was practical too: many lamps were needed to light the nighttime celebrations. 

The terracotta lamp in the first image has separate nozzles for multiple wicks, allowing it to burn with the strength of six little lamps. The crescent-shaped handle probably refers to Luna, the moon goddess, and the semicircle of burning flames could represent the sun itself, the god Sol. The Roman poet Martial wrote playful descriptions of over two hundred Saturnalia gifts, including a "lamp with many wicks" like this. 

Swipe through to see some other examples of multi-wicked lamps!
.

.

.

🏷 #GettyMuseum #GettyVilla #AncientArt #ArtHistory #AncientHolidays #RomanHoliday #Saturn #Saturnalia #AncientLamps #Antiquities #Clay #Gifting

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 923
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 7

## Tags

ancientholidays, gettymuseum, arthistory, saturnalia, gettyvilla, ancientart, gifting, romanholiday, saturn, antiquities, connectingcollections, ancientlamps, clay

---
Copyright (c) Gondola