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There are stories of ever burning lamps throughout history and in different parts of the world. Source: Kanea / Adobe Stock

The Ancient Mystery of the Ever-Burning Lamps

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Fire is only produced when certain materials – a combustible material, an oxidizer, and a source of heat – are present in the right proportions. The absence of one or more of these elements would extinguish a flame. It is believed, however, that there are lamps whose flames have continued burning for an exceptional amount of time without human intervention. This phenomenon, which has not been scientifically explained, is indeed a very intriguing one. What are these so-called ever burning lamps? And, do they really exist?

The Cyrene Temple of Apollo was said to have an ever-burning lamp. (Public domain)

The Cyrene Temple of Apollo was said to have an ever-burning lamp. (Public domain)

Ever Burning Lamps in the Ancient World

Ever burning lamps have been recorded by writers from various parts of the world at different points in history. In the ancient world, for instance, the writer Plutarch mentions in his work De Defectu Oraculorum a lamp that burned over the door of the Temple of Jupiter Ammon in Egypt. According to Plutarch, the priests of the temple claimed that the lamp stood in the open air, and neither wind nor rain put it out. Similar accounts are given for the altar of the Temple of Apollo Carneus, at Cyrene, and the great Temple of Aderbain, in Armenia.

Another Classical author, Pausanias wrote about a gold lamp in the Temple of Minerva Polias in Athens. This lamp, which was built by the scholar Callimachus, was said to have been able to maintain a flame steadily for a year without the need for refueling or having its wick trimmed.

It was also believed that Numa Pompilius, the legendary second king of Rome, was able to communicate directly with the gods, and that he created a light that burned perpetually in a temple he had dedicated to an elemental being. Some have even postulated that Numa had knowledge of electricity, and that his successor, Tullus Hostilius, was killed when his attempt to draw electricity from lightning went wrong.

Pausanias wrote about a gold ever burning lamp in the temple of Minerva Polias, whose west end can be seen in this painting by James Stuart from the 1700s. (Public domain)

Pausanias wrote about a gold ever burning lamp in the temple of Minerva Polias, whose west end can be seen in this painting by James Stuart from the 1700s. (Public domain)

Ever Burning Lamps in the Late Antique and Medieval Periods

Ever burning lamps have also been described during the Late Antique and medieval periods. It is said that during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, an ever burning lamp was found by soldiers at either Edessa or Antioch. According to the story, the lamp was discovered in a niche over the city gate, and the inscriptions suggest that the lamp has been burning for 500 years. St. Augustine also mentions an ever burning lamp in an Egyptian temple dedicated to Venus, and suggests that it was the work of the Devil.

During the reign of Henry VIII (or the early medieval period, according to another source), an ever burning lamp was also reported to have been found in England. As Henry separated from the Roman Catholic Church, and established the Church of England, he demanded the destruction of Catholic churches and communities should they refuse to be incorporated into his new church.

It seems that even the dead were not spared. When the tomb of a wealthy man who had died around the 4th century AD was opened, they discovered a lamp that was still alight. Some have even claimed that this tomb belonged to Constantius Chlorus, the father of the emperor Constantine.

In India, the ancient Hindu temple of Jwala Ji, located in the lower Himalayan town of Jawalamukhi in Himachal Pradesh, has a constantly burning blue flame that comes from the rocks in various places within the temple. Jwala means “flame”. It is said to have been constantly burning since the beginning of its known history.

Lamps have lit the way for people for hundreds of years. (BigStockPhoto)

Lamps have lit the way for people for hundreds of years. (BigStockPhoto)

Do Ever Burning Lamps Really Exist?

Although there is a surfeit of stories regarding ever burning lamps from various periods of time, it seems that there is a conspicuous lack of physical evidence for such objects. Furthermore, there is no known substance with such properties. Numerous explanations have been proposed to explain this mystery, ranging from the “work of the Devil” to “alien gods”.

Others, however, have attributed such inventions not to external forces, but to the genius of human beings. Could our ancient ancestors have held knowledge regarding a way to create a perpetual flame, which has become lost to the pages of history?

It is certainly possible, however, given the fact that there is no physical proof for such lamps, that the ever burning lamps are merely the stuff of legend. Nevertheless, be it the work of extraterrestrials, human sages, or simply non-existent, the ever burning lamps will probably continue to be a mystery for a long time to come.

Top image: There are stories of ever burning lamps throughout history and in different parts of the world. Source: Kanea / Adobe Stock

By Ḏḥwty

References

MacGowan, D. 2014. “Ever Burning Lamps” in Historic Mysteries. Available at: http://www.historicmysteries.com/ever-burning-lamps/

Mystery of India. 2014. “Eternal Flames of Jwala Ji Temple” in Mystery of India. Available at: http://www.mysteryofindia.com/2014/12/eternal-flames-jwala-ji-temple.html

No name. 2014. “Wonders of Antiquity” in Sacred Texts. Available at: http://www.sacred-texts.com/eso/sta/sta14.htm

Séguin, X. 2014. “Perpetual Lamps” in Eden Saga. Available at: http://eden-saga.com/en/initiation-science-atlantis-perpetual-lamps-vril-booya-jiechele.html

Thurtle, E. 2014. “10 Unsolved Mysteries from Ancient Times” in ListVerse. Available at: http://listverse.com/2014/08/21/10-unsolved-mysteries-from-ancient-times/

Westcott, W. W. 2014. “Rosicrucian Thoughts on the Ever-Burning Lamps of the Ancients” in The Alchemy Web Site. Available at: http://www.levity.com/alchemy/westcott.html

 

Comments

There is no mystery to natural gases leaking from rock formations all over the planet. There are methane leaks here from ancient coal reserves. This is not new at all. In fact it can and often does escape in water wells. Sometimes the water can be lit on fire. Environmentalists blame oil &gas companies, but all types of gasses have been escaping in places forever. The largest CO2 plant in the US is less than 100miles from me. They just pipe it to a compressor and haul it out on trucks for a myriad of uses. Not the least of wich is carbonated beverages. You can not convince me it hasn't been leaking for eons. Or at least long before modern discovery. So seemingly eternal flames are not just possible, but very probable. The eternal flame at JFK's tomb is no secret, it's just piped natural gas.

Duchovny's picture

Incredibly no mention of the oldest and first, the fire temples of the Zoarastrians.  The eternal flame was most likely from a methane patch, which are abundantly found in the north of Iran.

Jamie R

For the record there was no temple to Minerva in Athens. The temple spoken of in this article would have been to Athena Polis. Minerva was Roman, not Greek.

The thing is that there are no signs of soot in the tombs, under the pyramids etc.Which speculate that there were not any torches or fire in order to see to work

This article I must admit is fairly balanced pro versus con. However as it says “given the fact that there is no physical proof for such lamps” isn’t it really a non-mystery and non-story. There are loads of historical fantastical claims and it hasn’t been beyond religions to invent “miracles” for their own benefit. It might as well be about Unicorns there’s loads of unsubstantiated stories about them, e.g. The Bible  However I await the usual “it’s alien technology!” opinions.

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Wu

Wu Mingren (‘Dhwty’) has a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient History and Archaeology. Although his primary interest is in the ancient civilizations of the Near East, he is also interested in other geographical regions, as well as other time periods.... Read More

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