Sale: CNG 72, Lot: 2814. Estimate $750.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 14 June 2006.  Sold For $450. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

[Oil lamps] ROMAN. North Africa. Pottery redware oil lamp. Circa 350-425 AD. Length 13.5cm. Mold-formed with pottery appliques on discus and shoulder, the central motif of Daniel in the lion’s den: Daniel standing, orans, angel to left, Habakuk with loaf of bread to right, two submissive lions at his feet. Shoulder with eight squares (A4), six circles (F5), two triangles (D1). Two vent/fill holes, spur handle. Cf. Ennabili 59. Choice condition, central impression weak.

From the Dr. Robert B. Beckett Collection. Ex Antiqua XI (2002), Lot A23D.

"It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent."

"Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God." So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: "O King Darius, live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den.”

... "Then they said to the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day." When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him."

"Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, "Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed."

"So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"

..."At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"

"Daniel answered, "O king, live forever! My God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."

"The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God."

--Daniel 6:1-23

The appearance of the Prophet Habakuk in the Daniel legend seems to be later Rabbinic gloss on the tale.