Lamps of the Roman Period, First to Seventh Century After Christ

Book excerpt: Nearly 3,000 specimens of lamps of Roman character are catalogued in this volume that covers the period from the 1st century B. C. to the 8th century A. D. The lamps are not easy to classify because the appearance of the clay used is not an infallible guide to the place of manufacture and the molds used to create the shapes were used widely around the Mediterranean. Terracotta lamps were probably made for local consumption in most cities of Greece; only a few centers, notably Athens and Corinth, developed an export trade capable of competing with local manufacturers. Since lamps from Athens do appear at other sites, the presentation of a well-dated sample of these finds provides useful reference material for scholars working at other sites.