One of the oldest pieces of evidence for the use of wicks in oil lamps has been uncovered in central Israel. Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced the discovery of 4,000-year-old textile lamp wicks at the Newe Efraim site near Yehud, dating to the Intermediate Bronze Age (c. 2500–2000 BCE). The rare find, preserved against all odds in Israel’s humid coastal plain, was published this week in the new issue of the ʽAtiqot Journal (Vol. 118).
The Israel Antiquities Authority excavation near Yehud. Photo:Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority
The wicks were found in clay lamps placed within ancient tombs uncovered during a large-scale IAA excavation, carried out in advance of a new neighborhood development funded by the Israel Lands Authority. According to excavation directors Dr. Gilad Itach, Yossi Elisha, and Yaniv Agmon, the graves contained not only lamps but also pottery, animal bones, jewelry, and metal weapons. They suggest the lamps were lit during burial ceremonies, illuminating the dark spaces of the tombs and perhaps serving symbolic or spiritual functions.
The oil lamp with a fabric wick is one of the oldest known in the world. Photo: Dafna Gazit, Israel Antiquities Authority
Four-spouted oil lamp typical of the period, alongside other burial offerings. Photo:Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority
Researchers note that fire and flame have long been associated with the human soul and with ritual power across the ancient Near East. “Just like today, thousands of years ago, the fire burning in a lamp symbolized the human soul,” said the IAA team, pointing out that the Jewish term Ner Neshama (memorial flame for the soul) may echo traditions reaching back millennia. Traces of soot on the wicks confirm that the lamps were indeed used.
Indeed, the Bible writes, “The soul of man is a lamp of God.” (Prov. 20:27)
Dr. Naama Sukenik and Dr. Yonah Maor, who analyzed the finds, described the discovery as “a singular event of organic preservation in a humid climate.” Organic materials like textile rarely survive thousands of years in Israel, and wicks are particularly elusive since they were meant to burn away. In this case, the linen fibers underwent a rare process of fossilization, allowing them to survive intact. One wick was even found complete.
Dr. Naama Sukenik, Curator of Organic Artifacts at the Israel Antiquities Authority. Photo: Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority
Dr. Yonah Maor, Director of the Analytical Laboratory at the Israel Antiquities Authority. Photo: Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority
Analysis revealed the wicks were made of reused linen textiles, cut into strips and twisted together. “It is unlikely that an expensive textile such as linen would have been woven especially for an object intended for combustion,” Dr. Sukenik explained. “We speculate they were recycled from other textiles after their original purpose was completed. This demonstrates both creativity and thrift—people were recycling even 4,000 years ago.”
Eli Escusido, Director of the IAA, said the discovery highlights the Authority’s mission to preserve and share Israel’s ancient heritage: “Every discovery, no matter how small, is part of the great story of this country, and we see the utmost importance in publishing these findings.”
The full study appears in the newly released ʽAtiqot Journal, Vol. 118, dedicated to current research on the archaeology of the Land of Israel.
