KE 160 (Early Byzantine Regional Lamp) [permalink] [next]
Type
Inventoried Object
Technique
Design of original made by incising directly into clay mold. Original has blurry decoration from wear. Regional copy by surmoulage created wide webbing and sharp joining ridge; deep indentation on back ridge of handle from finger before firing.
Regional (Corinthian?) copy of African Red-Slip Bonifay lampe type 70, variante A (‟decors lineaires”; Late Byzantine-Early Islamic Tunisia)
Comparanda
Original type: Forrer1893, p. 12, pl. IV:3 (Achmim-Panopolis)
Comparanda
Original type: Wulff1909, p. 248, no. 1249, pl. LXI (from Egypt; citing other examples from North Africa and Athens [hard to locate]; Königliche Museen zu Berlin)
Comparanda
Original type: deRossi1867, pp. 9, 12, fig. 1 (from Palatine, Rome)
sim. AgoraVII, p. 100, no. 338, pl. 10 (regional copy; J. Perlzweig)
Comparanda
sim. CorinthIV.2, p. 286, no. 1467, pl. XXII (regional copy; O. Broneer)
Description
Elliptical body with [keyhole] format. Oval discus with raised rim, two filling holes in upper right and left, and figural relief. Type of Jesus Christ facing front, flanked by two avian angels and standing over basilisk, dragon, and lion. Details schematic and filling holes obscure design. Sunken panel on shoulder and sloping wall to seam: row of double concentric circles. Solid handle.
Fabric, firing, surface
Late Antique regional (Corinthian?) “red” fabric, firing, and surface: heaby, brick-like fabric; hard, gritty with slightly granular break and rough texture.
Preservation description
One sherd preserves ca. 20% from the upper back part of the lamp, including small part of discus and shoulder and upper handle. Moderate, extensive abrasion and slight scratching and chipping; worn edges; scattered thin patches of encrustation.
