KL058 (Late Roman-Early Byzantine Regional Lamp) [permalink] [show more links]
Type
Inventoried Object
Logical part of
Inventoried Objects from the Greek-American Excavations at Koutsongila
Typological identification
Late Roman/Early Byzantine Corinthian or Regional Lamp, imitation North African
Comparanda
cf. Bovon1966, p. 91, no. 642, pl. 17 (Argos)
Comparanda
cf. CorinthXIV, p. 168, no. CL2043, pl. 67:2 (Lerna Hollow)
Comparanda
cf. IsthmiaX, pp. 66, 140, no. 414, figs. 3, 6, pl. 55 (“some mica”; Northeast Gate, dated first half 6th century[?)
Comparanda
cf. KenchreaiV, p. 83, no. 435, pl. 20 (H. Williams; misidentified as North African import; north mole, late 5th–6th century)
Comparanda
cf. Koutoussaki2008, p. 357, no. 631.9, 479, pl. LXI (Argos), p. 363, no. 638, fig. F, pl. K (moldmade?; second half 6th century)
Comparanda
cf. Miller1980, p. 192, nos. L 48, L 49, pl. 41:e (late cemetery in Sacred Square, Nemea, 6th century)
Comparanda
cf. Miller1983, p. 86, no. L 125, fig. 25:g (Early Christian house, Nemea, third quarter 6th century)
Comparanda
cf. Oikonomou1988, pp. 487–488, no. 42 (Argos)
Description
Wide, almond-shaped outline. Oval, slightly concave discus has cross in low relief crowded inside sharp raised rim, large central filling hole, and wide and straight channel to wickhole. Relief depicts Greek cross with flaring arms, raised outline, two pellets inside each arm, three pellets around ends of arms, and arc-ing line between upper arms (at least). Shoulder has inward-sloping groove with distinct rims and palm branch in relief. Long, rounded nozzle. Prominent joining ridge, broad ledge, and webbing. Tall, thick, rounded, knob-like to fin-like handle attaches to circular base ring by low ridge. Base ring around uncertain figure in raised, thick band (relief branch?). Details are slightly blurry.
Fabric, firing, and surface description
7.5YR 7/3, pink, to 10YR 5/2, grayish brown. General qualities of the Late Corinthian red fabric but hard, dense, gritty to sandy; brick-like. Heavily fired with variable discoloration across most of surface and partial vitrification at one shoulder.
Preservation comment
Four joining fragments preserve three-quarters of discus and shoulder, entire handle, and one-half of base. Slight, sparse abrasion; traces of encrustation.
Published as
Rife2022d, pp. 897-898, no. 476, fig. 19.53
Estimated base diameter
0.027
Discus diameter
0.039
Handle total height
0.066
Preserved length
0.099
Width
0.072
Other Dimensions
H. base-shoulder 0.034
Other Dimensions
H. shoulder-top handle 0.035
Material
Ceramic (Material)
Has visual motif (depicts)
Christian Cross (Visual Motif)
Suggested citation
“KL058 (Late Roman-Early Byzantine Regional Lamp).” In Kenchreai Archaeological Archive, edited by J.L. Rife and S. Heath. The American Excavations at Kenchreai, 2013-2025. <http://kenchreai.org/gaek/kl058>