In Antiquity, a lamp was originally called a ‘lychnus’, from the Greek λυχνος, with the oldest Roman lamps dating back to the third century BC. It is thought that the Romans took the idea for lamps from the Greek colonies of Southern Italy. During the Roman Empire, it became commonplace to use lamps in funeral ceremonies and for public purposes. Over time, the manufacture of lamps increased, and so did the variation in decoration, which depended mainly on the shape and size of the lamp. Common decorative themes depicted on the discus were entertainment scenes, such as gladiators in combat, common myths, and animals. Pottery oil lamps could be made in three different ways: handmade, wheel made, or by mould. The use of the mould, which was made from clay or plaster, quickly became popular, because one mould could produce several lamps.
The Loeschcke Type VIII oil lamp was one of the most used lamps in Imperial Roman society, being an archaeological staple from the Flavian Dynasty. Due to their popularity and ubiquity, there are several sub-classifications of this type depending on individual characteristics. The rounded nozzle style further specifies this lamp as a Bussiére Form DX1a, due to the inclusion of a straight line and two flanking dots separating the discus and nozzle.
Maker’s marks and stamps decline in use from the third quarter of the 2nd century. Lamps themselves also tend to be inferior in quality compared to their 1st century counterparts, so a signature of pride seemed unnecessary.
To discover more about oil lamps, please visit our relevant blog post: Lighting The Way.