A complete pedestal oil lamp with a ‘loop’ handle and lead-glazed interior.

The inside shows traces of sooting or burning from use. The fuel for the lamp was probably animal fat, used with a wick.

Ceramic lamps are not common finds from Bristol, suggesting that other forms of lighting such as tallow candles or rush lights were more widespread. This example probably dates to the later 14th–16th century and was a product of the Malvern Chase potteries of Worcestershire, an industry which supplied Bristol during this period.