2006-06-15 12:33:21 · 11 answers · asked by Elaine814 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Olive oil was (still is) very easy to get in the middle east (e.g. bible country). A quick google search tells me that terra-cotta oil lamps have been found from as far back as 1500 BC, although the biblical Abraham can't be exactly dated some estimates have him living around 2000-1800 BC.
What they lit them with, i'm guessing they either had perpetual flames in the community (e.g. supersize oil lamps), flint stones, or they just used the survivor method (they lit a fire pretty quickly injust by rubbing two sticks together and had plenty of time for commercials...)
2006-06-15 14:43:41 · answer #1 · answered by gradient descent 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Light with borrowed flame from another lamp. People usually burned Olive oil-- VERY Smokey but it works.
2006-06-15 19:38:23 · answer #2 · answered by whynotaskdon 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they lit the lamps with a flame either oin the end of a stick or a cloth
the lamps burned oil
2006-06-15 19:35:52 · answer #3 · answered by topher 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's a parable in the Bible about the ten virgins who had to go buy oil for their lamps...olive oil, maybe?
2006-06-15 19:48:13 · answer #4 · answered by Antique Silver Buttons 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They would use a container to hold olive oil in then they would use something for a wick, any thing that would take up the oil, then very carefully make a spark at the end of the wick.
2006-06-15 19:38:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They used existing torches or flint.
They had oils in their lamp with a wick.
2006-06-15 19:41:08 · answer #6 · answered by suthrndaysi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The would have used an oil. I don't know the exact name of the oil, but it would not explode, but burn. I'm sure they had other things too. Just my input.
2006-06-15 19:37:38 · answer #7 · answered by ytonnavd 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bic disposables and Wild Turkey Bourbon Whiskey
2006-06-15 19:35:12 · answer #8 · answered by bbcranks 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Contrary to popular belief they used Cricket lighters, not Bic, and grain alcohol.
2006-06-15 19:38:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
they probably used torches made with fabric and some kind of oil
2006-06-15 19:36:23 · answer #10 · answered by ohmeursault78 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋