lantern

[jvrjenivs]

Hi All,

Can someone help me with some more information (hopefully better pictures or linedrawing or archological report with measurements) of a Roman lantern, such as this one:


I know of one similar found in Chatalka, but don't know if that's this one and if more are found, but any information is welcome.

[Martin Moser]

Don't have a source ready, but check publications on finds from Pompeiji, some have been found there AFAIK.

[M. Demetrius]

Does that lantern have a glass tube to shelter the oil flame?

[fwg]

There are several finds of these lanterns. The most prominent are from Pompeii.
One small, but detailled drawing can be found in the booklet

"Das Beleuchtungs-Gerät in römischer Zeit - Kulturgeschichtliche Wegweiser durch das Römisch-Germanische Central-Museum Nr. 6" - Fritz Fremersdorf, Römisch-Germanisches Central-Museum Mainz, 1924

These lamps appear to be complete, but there is no evidence for a glass shielding the oil flame. That´s why f.e. Holger Ratsdorf chose to reconstruct his version with a thin raw skin.

Pictures:
[url:36hrwh9h]http://www.roemischer-vicus.de/p_stand_bild11.htm[/url]
or in his online-catalogue [url:36hrwh9h]http://www.hr-replikate.de[/url] look for item no. 326.

Best wishes,
fwg.

[D B Campbell]

There's a woodcut in Smith's Dictionary (courtesy of Bill Thayer). Apparently, translucent horn was used in place of the glass, David.

[jvrjenivs]

Okay, will try to find some of these. I knew I saw a reproduction of it somewhere and now found it again, thanks Frank. Are there measurements in that RGZM booklet?

[fwg]

Hi Jurjen,

I have to correct my last post: The RGZM booklet mentions and depicts a lamp found in Herculaneum, not Pompeii. (But afaik there is more than this one find in the Hercolano/Pompeii region and even finds from the provinces such as Cologne, Mainz and Bonn.) And this lamp is quoted from the Bonner Jahrbuecher 118 pp. 386, so it might be a better idea to look for the BJ 118 instead of the small RGZM booklet - also because there are no measurements in the RGZM booklet.