Casper Bernhard Nervig Collection

Origin of Lamps and Cruses
in
Nervig Collection

Casper Bernhard Nervig was born May 1, 1905, in Tracy, MN, to Rev. Anders and Mina Hansen Nervig. He received his BA degree from Luther College in 1925, where he excelled in forensics and music. After graduation, he was a teacher and dean of men at Luther Academy in Albert Lea, MN, for three years. He received his BTh from Luther Seminary in 1931. From 1931-1944, he served as pastor of a parish in Roseau, MN. During a leave of absence in 1936-1937, he studied theology in Norway and Germany. From 1944-1968, he was a pastor at First Lutheran Church in Williston, ND. Casper Nervig died of a stroke at age 75 on January 30, 1981. He and his wife, Nora Josephine Halvorson, whom he married in 1940, had six children: Luther, Sylvia, Louise, Naomi, Sonia and John.

Nervig served in a number of capacities within the Lutheran church. He was associated with the Bethel Lutheran Home for the Aged, Lake of the Woods Bible Camp, Upper Missouri Bible Camp and Concordia College. He was Vice President of the North Dakota District from 1951-1957. He also served as Vice President of the church Board of Education (1944-1954) and was a member of the Board of Theological Education. He was on the national Rural Life Commission from 1945 to 1947. Nervig was the author of two books, Christian Truth and Religious Delusions (Augsburg, 1941) and Catechism Cathedral: Luther’s Small Catechism in Art Symbols (First Lutheran Church, 1984). Concordia College awarded him the Doctor of Divinity degree in 1952 while Luther College presented him with a Distinguished Service Award in 1975.

Casper Nervig was known for his special interests in several subject areas. He was interested in art especially as a tool for teaching the Christian message. His book on the art work he planned for First Lutheran Church in Williston, ND, is a testament to this philosophy. He also was a student of history as evidenced by his work compiling stories for the book The Provocative Professor: the Billy Sihler Stories (Luther College Press, 1992). Written by his brother, Roland (LC 1940), the book includes 122 stories collected by Casper (the book was completed with a total of 175 stories about a popular professor of German and coach at Luther College).

The collection of 31 ancient oil lamps and two cruses in the Fine Arts Collection was donated by the wife of Casper Nervig in honor of her husband. The gift was facilitated in 1984 by their son, Luther Nervig, LC 1964. Casper Nervig had assembled the containers during two trips to Jerusalem, in 1965 and 1973, when he purchased them from antiquities dealers. They were identified and dated by Richard Simon Hanson, Professor of Religion at Luther College, with assistance from several reference sources and personnel at the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem. After processing was completed, the containers were extensively utilized by Hanson for many years when teaching his Old Testament course at Luther College.

The lamps and cruses date from approximately 3600 BCE to 800 AD. They range from undecorated simple bowl or saucer shapes to more elaborate forms which are decorated with pressed designs. The lamps are both wheel-made and mold-made from clay and fired in a kiln. The lamps all were designed to hold oil, probably olive oil. A wick was leaned over the edge of the bowl and when lit, provided protected and controllable light. Later lamps had handles and one or more spouts. Eventually, the lamps developed into a one-piece, closed form with two openings in the top which were for the wick and adding oil. The more elaborate, sophisticated lamps were regarded as works of art besides being functional. Christian symbols began to appear on lamps in the 4th century. Large numbers of these have been found around Jerusalem. Several lamps in the Fine Arts Collection are decorated with Christian symbols such as crosses.

The lamps have been found throughout the Mediterranean geographical area extending into Spain although those in the Nervig Collection were all collected and originated in Palestine. It has been speculated that they were especially useful in the warm climate of these areas where candles were problematic to use. Later lamps (ca. 800) returned again to the simple bowl or saucer shape, perhaps reflecting the changing culture which lead to the "Dark Ages."

Ref: Nervig, Casper B. Catechism Cathedral: Luther’s Small Catechism in Art Symbols. Williston, ND: First Lutheran Church, 1984; A Biographical Directory of Clergymen of The American Lutheran Church. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1972; Sussman, Varda. "Lighting the Way Through History: the Evolution of Ancient Oil Lamps." Biblical Archaeolgy Review, 11 (March/April 1985), 43-56.

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Updated 01/23/2007