Ceramic lamps were at first wheel-made, but as of the second century BC, they began to be made in molds. A mold consisted of two parts, corresponding to the upper and lower halves of the lamp. Each half was molded separately and then fitted together. A handle was added, and, finally, the filling hole and wick channel were made. This object is only the upper part of the lamp mold. The crosses in the medallions identify it as a Christian lamp. Since a mold could be used over and over again, identical models of lamps were produced in large numbers.
Provenance: unknown.
Substance: terra cotta.
Dimensions: 15 x 12 x 5.5 cm.
Era: 600 CE.
Text: Michel Fortin (translated by Jane Macaulay).
Photo: Jacques Lessard.
Collection of the National Museum of Damascus.
Michel Fortin, Syria, Land of Civilization. Les Éditions de l'Homme, Musée de la Civilisation de Québec 1999.
No comments:
Post a Comment