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XXI
The Beit Nattif Lamp, dated to the Late Roman-Early Byzantine periods (3rd – 5th centuries CE.), is named after its type site and initial discovery at Beit Nattif (Baramki 1936). Oil lamp production during this Late Roman - Early Byzantine period in Syria-Palaestina was dominated by a number of regional workshops. While many of these workshops remain elusive, the Beit Nattif lamp is known from the discovery of a production site in the village of Beit Nattif, located in the Judean Shephelah. Since their initial characterization, study of Beit Nattif lamps has largely focused on their decorative motifs and iconography. Based on their unique style, it was long believed that the Beit Nattif lamps were all made in a single workshop. This has been dispelled by the discovery of an additional lamp workshop
which produced Beit Nattif lamps, located at Khirbat Shumeila (Storchan
2017a and 2017b), north of Beit Nattif. Adler writes that Beit Nattif lamps were imitated throughout Israel and later imitations of these lamps continue
until the 6th century CE.
The Beit Nattif lamps, are usually
small, characterized by their detailed relatively high-relief ornamentation which usually leaves no space on top unfilled by ornament, and a small pyramid-shaped handle. The lamps are and decorated with a large variety of designs and emblems. Some
of the lamps have a red slip. Beit Nattif lamps have been categorized by V. Sussman into six basic types differentiated by shape, style and decorative affinities (Sussman 1985-6). In a more recent publication, the Late Roman lamps of the Judean Shephelah were categorized into eight types (Sussman 2017: LR 1-8) which placed the Beit Nattif lamps within a wider geographic and temporal context. Steve Adler identifies five Beit Nattif Lamp types (BN.1 - BN.5), and two types of later imitations (BN.6 & BN.7).
Adler, N. Oil Lamps of the Holy Land from the Adler Collection. (Israel, 2004).
Adler, S. Adler Collection Website - http://www.steve-adler.com/OilLampsMain.htm
Baramki D. "Two Roman Cisterns at Beit Nattif" in QDAP V (1936), pp. 3 - 10, 2 figs., pls. II - XII. Available Online
Elgavish, J. The Art of Lamps in Israel in the Roman and Byzantine Periods. (Jerusalem, 1962).
Hadad S. "Oil Lamps from the Third to the Eighth Century C.E. at Scythopolis–Bet Shean" in Dumbarton Oaks Papers 51 (1997), pp. 147 - 188. Available Online
Hadad S. The Oil Lamps from the Hebrew University Excavations at Bet Shean. Qedem 4. (Jerusalem, 2002). Available Online
Israeli, Y. & U. Avida. Oil-Lamps from Eretz Israel - the Louis and Carmen Warschaw collection at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. (Jerusalem, 1988).
Nagorsky, A. "The Oil Lamps from Bet She’an (Youth Hostel)" in Atiqot 77 (2014), pp. 1 - 21. Available Online
Rosenthal, R. & R. Sivan. Ancient Lamps in the Schloessinger Collection, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Qedem 8. (Jerusalem, 1978).
Storchan, B. "Bet Shemesh, Ramat Bet Shemesh, Khirbat Shumeila" in HA-ESI 129 (2017). Available Online
Storchan, B. "The Discovery of an Additional Beit Nattif Lamp Workshop" in Y. Zelinger & N. Frankel (eds). Studies on the Land of Judea (Jerusalem, 2017), pp. 71 - 79. Available Online
Storchan, J. Beit Nattif Lamps and Moulds and their Implications Regarding Lamp Production in Eretz-Israel during the Late Roman Period. (Ramat-Gan, Israel, 2019). Available Online
Sussman, V. "Ornamented Figures on "Beit Nattif" Type Oil Lamps from Northern and Southern Workshops" in Israel - People and Land 2-3 (1985-6), pp. 63 - 86.
Sussman, V. Late Roman to Late Byzantine/Early Islamic Period Lamps in the Holy Land: The Collection of the Israel Antiquities Authority. (Oxford, 2017).
Storchan, B. "Bet Shemesh, Ramat Bet Shemesh, Khirbat Shumeila" in HA-ESI 129 (2017), fig. 9, 1.
Storchan, B. "Bet Shemesh, Ramat Bet Shemesh, Khirbat Shumeila" in HA-ESI 129 (2017), fig. 9, 3.
Variety Loop Handle (Adler BN.2, Sussman LR6), c. 250 – 400 CE. - The shape of the lamp is the same as above but the lamps but have a loop handle. Adler type BN.3 p. 88, 525, 529; Qedem 8 p. 107, 436; Sussman Late type LR6, 1388 - 1391.
Storchan, B. "Bet Shemesh, Ramat Bet Shemesh, Khirbat Shumeila" in HA-ESI 129 (2017), fig. 9, 4.
Adler, N. Oil Lamps of the Holy Land from the Adler Collection. (Israel, 2004).
Adler, S. Adler Collection Website - http://www.steve-adler.com/OilLampsMain.htm
Hadad S. "Oil Lamps from the Third to the Eighth Century C.E. at Scythopolis–Bet Shean" in Dumbarton Oaks Papers 51 (1997), pp. 147 - 188. Available Online
Hadad S. The Oil Lamps from the Hebrew University Excavations at Bet Shean. Qedem 4. (Jerusalem, 2002), pp. 26, 30 - 35, type 17, 74 - 113. Available Online
Israeli, Y. & U. Avida. Oil-Lamps from Eretz Israel - the Louis and Carmen Warschaw collection at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. (Jerusalem, 1988).
Nagorsky, A. "The Oil Lamps from Bet She’an (Youth Hostel)" in Atiqot 77 (2014), pp. 1 - 21, fig. 3. Available Online
Rosenthal, R. & R. Sivan. Ancient Lamps in the Schloessinger Collection, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Qedem 8. (Jerusalem, 1978).
Sussman, V. "Ornamented Figures on "Beit Nattif" Type Oil Lamps from Northern and Southern Workshops" in Israel - People and Land 2-3 (1985-6), pp. 63 - 86.
Sussman, V. Late Roman to Late Byzantine/Early Islamic Period Lamps in the Holy Land: The Collection of the Israel Antiquities Authority. (Oxford, 2017).
Early Imitative Beit Nattif Lamps, c. 400 - 700 CE - These lamps are similar to the late bow shaped nozzle lamps with some variations. They are usually larger, more elongated, the nozzle is not rounded but slightly concave and in most cases have straight decorated sides. The decorations are similar to the bow shaped nozzle lamps and include amphorae, grape vines and geometric designs. The shoulders are narrow and decorated with a linear pattern or wreath band. All lamps have a rectangular or tongue shaped knob handle, sometimes decorated with a palm branch or lines. Adler type BN.6, pp. 153 - 154, 952 - 954; Qedem 8 pp. 106 - 107, 430 - 439; Sussman Late 3066 - 3078; Warschaw p. 133, 388.
Northern (Bet She'an) Beit Nattif Imitative Lamps, c. 300 - 600 CE - This type was not found at Beit Nattif, but the Beit Nattif lamp style was so popular that it was imitated during the
4th – 5th centuries CE by workshops near Bet
She’an. These lamps have a pear shaped body and voluted nozzles, and no slip. Most specimens have small pyramidal handles. Tongue shaped handles with a palmette, loop handles, and multiple wick hole varieties exist. They are mostly found in the Decapolis region, best known from the area of Bet She’an. The The northern attribution to this type has been concluded by a number of researchers (Rosenthal and Sivan 1978)