Pottery lamp from 2,000 years ago reminiscent of flowers in bloom

This painted pottery lamp from the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) consists of a lamp pole, a lamp base and 12 curved branches, each terminating with a shallow bowl designed to hold oil and a wick. When all 12 wicks are lit, the lamp appears so gorgeous that it resembles a flowering tree.

Adorning the 12 branches are feathered immortals with crowns and wings, alongside resting cicadas. On the trumpet-shaped base, images of musicians and 32 animals are crafted to create a fantastical scene of humans and deities coexisting.

This exquisite lamp offers 13 levels of brightness by lighting up a varying number of lamp bowls. A classic example of ancient Chinese pottery lamps, it is currently housed in the Luoyang Museum.