The lamps used by the Romans were made from pottery and burned vegetable oil. This made a sticky mess, and could be very dangerous if it caught fire. The Romans used lampholders so that they could carry lamps at a safe distance from their bodies or clothes, and also so that lamps could be safely left on shelves, or fastened to walls or door frames to give fixed lighting without leaving messy drips on floors. The one shown below is currently on display at the Grosvenor Museum.
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