High pressure electric discharge lamp

This invention claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-24471, filed on Jan. 31, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference. A high pressure electric discharge lamp adapted to utilize dielectric barrier discharges can include an arc tube having a discharge space that contains at least a rare gas and an outer tube airtightly surrounding the arc tube. At least one material selected from Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, F, Cl, Br, Iand Nor a mixture thereof that are apt to produce a dielectric barrier discharge can be filled in the space between the arc tube and the outer tube at pressure preferably between 1.3 and 100 [kPa] and more preferably between 40 and 80 [kPa]. The type and the pressure of the rare gas contained in the space is selected as to make the dielectric barrier discharge starting voltage in the space lower than the discharge starting voltage in the discharge space.