The Casper B. Nervig Collection was donated to the Fine Arts Collection by Nora Josephine Halvorson in honor of her husband, Casper B. Nervig. The gift was facilitated in 1984 by their son, Luther Nervig (LC 1964). Casper Nervig assembled the 31 ancient oil lamps and two cruses during two trips to Jerusalem in 1965 and 1973, purchasing them from antiquities dealers. Richard Simon Hanson, former Professor of Religion at Luther College, with assistance from several reference sources and personnel at the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem identified and dated the objects. The lamps and cruses date from approximately 3600 BCE to 800 AD and range from undecorated simple bowl or saucer shapes to more elaborate forms which are decorated with pressed designs.