Lighting DevicesRoman1st century BCE-2nd century CE

Lamp

50-200

Description

Mold made lamp with slightly raised, flat disc base. Walls flare outward, curving only slightly, to create a broad, shallow reservoir. Vaguely curved rim at a horizontal angle. Raised ridge where rim meets discus. Inner edge of rim is decorated with a series of ivy leaves in the form of upside down hearts. Concave discus has a male figure, presumably Zeus, seated, facing forward, draped from the waist down, and holding a sceptre up in his left hand. In his right hand he holds a thunderbolt in his lap and to the (viewer's) left of his feet is an eagle, standing forward but facing back. Musculature and folds are prune-like. Relatively large filling hole at left side of discus. Small gash below figure's feet probably functions as an air slit. Short, heart-shaped nozzle with small dot at top. Vertical handle with two incised grooves and large, round hole. Tan-buff fabric with bright orange-red slip.

Classification

Lighting Devices

Technique

Mold-made

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Roman

Period

Roman Imperial period

Century

1st century BCE-2nd century CE