Household Articles (f): Lamp

Lamps in Pallava sculpture are very rarely depicted. But this does not mean that people had no knowledge of lamps. The excavations conducted in many of the early historical sites in different parts of India had yielded lamps of terracotta and metal in different sizes, shapes and design. In a panel of Gajalakshmi, found from Kaverippakkam (fig. 368), a pair of lamps flanking the central image of Gajalakshmi, who is depicted in form of a Srivatsa can be seen. The lamps are realistically depicted and are provided with a stand.

Finally, it has to be mentioned that many of the shapes and types of vessels that are at present used in modern times are, but a legacy of these ancient proto-types. Perhaps, the raw-material used for its manufacture and the technique got differed through the ages with the advancement of technology and invention of new raw-materials.