Hi, all. Here is an
oil lamp from
Caesarea Maritima, a surface find from an
area of disturbed ground near a road construction site around 1972. I thought at first that it was a "
Herodian"
type according to
Adler's classification, but then realized that the raised decoration, small
handle, and irregular filler hole probably indicated a mould made rather than a wheel made
lamp. The closest forms I found on the on-line
Adler site,
www.Steve-Adler.com, would be the "Daroma"
type, D3, or perhaps the "
Jerash"
type, but with simpler decoration and a differently shaped
handle than either of those. The closest I found on David Knell's (
Strobilus2) site,
http://www.romulus2.com/lamps/, would be Northern
Palestine type RSP7. I realize that there were many variations on these
types, and my access to academic resources is very limited, so any advice or corrections to my descriptions would be appreciated.
Thanks, V-drome
BCC CG17
Early
Roman Oil LampCaesarea Maritima
Late 1st-mid 2nd Century CE
Early
Roman terracotta oil lamp,
Adler type D.3?, moulded,
with a round body, irregular filler hole, and wedge shaped
knob
handle. The splayed nozzle has a bow-shaped end,
concave sides, and squared reeding consisting of seven short
parallel lines oriented toward the body of the
lamp, plus two
curved lines tracing the transition to the body. There is what
could be construed as a "wing" on one or both sides of the nozzle,
but they are barely discernible. The shoulders are decorated in relief
with single pellets surrounded by double concentric circles. Five of
these are placed toward the nozzle with an additional one on either
side of the
handle for a total of seven. The bottom of the
lamp is
plain with a low ring for a base.
Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.7 x 2.7cm.
Weight: 48.56gm.
Surface find
Caesarea Maritima, 1972
(click for larger pic)