ROMAN LAMP

43

A small cast copper-alloy lamp of probable Roman date. It has a hollow body that is circular in plan, tapering towards the base to produce a cup-shaped or conical profile. At one side there is a projecting circular/cylindrical spout that has a small circular aperture (wick hole) on the upper surface. At the centre of the upper surface is a larger circular aperture flanked by two integrally cast semi-circular loops that are cylindrical in form (3.05mm in diameter) and were presumably utilised for the suspension of the lamp. At the opposite side of the lamp to the spout is a projecting knop that is rectangular in form with projecting semi-circular points or horns at either end giving the impression of bulls horns. Beneath the knop on the side of the lamp is an integrally cast vertical semi-circular looped handle that is circular in section. The base of the object has a small raised foot ring. The entire object has green patina but no trace of any additional decorative elements. It measures 57.90mm in length (including handle; 48.33mm excluding handle), 36.19mm in width, 22.09mm in height (28.94mm including suspension loops), 3.53mm in thickness at suspension loops, 3.35mm in thickness at handle, 2.35mm in thickness at knop, 22.39mm in diameter at base, and weighs 69.15g.This is a cast copper-alloy lamp of Roman date. It is relatively small in size and it is possible that it never served as a functional lamp as such, but rather was part of a larger assemblage or a miniature votive object representative of a lamp. A similar copper-alloy lamp is noted from excavation at South Shields (Allason-Jones and Miket, 1984: pp. 146-147, no. 3.355), but this parallel lacks the prominent 'horns' and suspension loops to the sides of the aperture. This might indicate a 2nd-4th century AD date for the current object, although an earlier date cannot be ruled out entirely.