Ostrowski, Janusz A.

Propylaeum-DOK

Z E S Z Y T Y N A U K O W E U N I W E R S Y T E T U J A G I E L L O N S K I E G O 
DLVIII PRACE ARCHEOLOGICZNE • Z. 29 1930 
STUDIA Z ARCHEOLOGII SRODZIEMNOMORSKIEJ * Z. 5 
Janusz Ostrowski 
GROUP OF "AFRICAN" OIL-LAMTS IN TEE COLLECTION 
OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM IN CRACOW 
The so-called African lamps distinguishable at first glance among 
late antique oil lamps form a very specific group. They are characterized 
by the intense brick red of very hard fired clay, but sometimes occur 
orauge, brownish or even greyish colour. These lamps have wide shoulders 
ornamented with floral or geometrical decoration, a wide straight channel 
finished with a big wick-hole, a full vertical handle and slightly convexed 
discus mainly with two fillingholes. The relief decoration is flat in general 
although some parts occur in very high relief. The difference results from 
the degree of usage of the mold or the state of preservation of a given 
lamp. The decoration of the discus often represents elements taken from 
christian iconography l; crosses (mainly Greek equal-armed), Christ's 
monogram 2, fish, peacocks, pidgeons etc., as well as Old Testament scenes. 
The decoration of the shoulders usually is limited to herringbone designs, 
which by similarity to palm branches also represent a symbolic significance. 
Other decoration on the shoulder are triangles, squares, circles, hearts 
or wine scroll. 
This type of lamp developed at the beginning of the IV century A. D. and 
their production, after a peak of development in the next century, decays 
in the VI century A. D. 
1 Because of the details of decoration "African" lamps are often called "Christian". 
This is not precise since they have also elements in the ornamentation which have nothing 
in common with the christian iconography. Cf. M. L. B e r n h a r d , Lampki slarozylne, 
Warszawa 1955, Cat. Nos. 349—352; S z e n t l e l e k y , Nos. 232—234. 
* The letter "rho" composing a chrismon on many artifacts (among them on lamps 
also) often is turned to the left in opposition to coins where it is always to the right. 
In different regions it takes the shape of closed loop (Italy, Spain, Britanny, Africa), 
or an open loop (Kgypt, Palestine, Syria, Greece). This can be used as a criteria when 
establishing the place of the origin of the artifact. See M. A. F r a n t z , The Provenance 
of the Open Rho in the Christian Monograms, A J A X X X I I I , 1929, pp. 10—26. 
5 — Prace archeologiczne 29 
Originalveröffentlichung in: Ancient pottery in Polish collections, Śliwa, Joachim (Hrsg.) (Studia z 
archeologii śródziemnomorskiej 5), Warschau 1980,  S. 65-72
66 
Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco are the places where these lamps are most 
often found and this is the reason why they were called conventionally 
"African", although this is not completely true. Such lamps were produced 
in Alexandria, from where they were distributed to various parts of the 
Mediterranean Basin3. Among others they were found in Corinth4, Rome 8, 
Miletos 6, testifying the great popularity of this type of ceramic ware and 
of the considerable manufacturing capabilities of the Alexandrian 
workshops. The best, typology of ancient lamps was given by Broneer 7 
and according to his classification African group is known as "type XXXI" 
deriving from "type XXVIII" which is a transitional form between lamps 
of the I I century A.D. and late antique lamps. Also a short account 
about African lamps is given by Hayes in his book concerning Late Bo-
man Pottery 8. 
There are 14 "African" lamps among the 178 ancient oil lamps preserved 
in the collection of the National Museum in Cracow. Half of them originates 
from the Czartoryski Collection. There is a lack of information about the place 
they were discovered, while it is known that they wore bought by Wlady-
slaw Czartoryski in the years 1878—189.3 probably at an auction sale 
in Paris. Five lamps originate from the collection of Antoni Grubissich 9 
and they were found in the terrain of ancient Carthage. The other two 
lamps (a donation of Joseph Poller in 1889 and Leon Kostka in 1949) 
have not been established their origin. 
• H . A . T h o m p s o n , Terracotta Lamps, Hesperia 2, 1933, pp. 210—212. 
4 0 . B r o n e e r , Corinth. Besults of Excavations conducted by the American School 
of Classical Studies at Athens. Volume IV, Part II . Terracotta Lamps, Cambridge, Mass. 
1930. 
«, Menzel , op. cit., NOB. 594, 599, 600, 605, 612—614, 616—617, 619—620. 
• Idem, No. 603. 
' B r o n e e r , op. cit., passim. 
8 J . W. H a y e s , Late Roman Pottery, London 1972, chapter IV, African Lamps, 
pp. 310—314, „Tiipolitanian" Lamps, pp. 314—315. 
• J . S'liwa, Kolekcja zabytkow punickich w Krakowie, ZNUJ, Prace Archeologiozne 
z. 19, Krak6w 1974, pp. 49—55; idem, Kolekcja Antoniego Grubissieha w Muzeum Naro~ 
dowym w Krakowie, Meander XIX, 1974, pp. 187—197. 
67 
ABBREVIATIONS 
B r o n e e r — 0 . B r o n e e r , Corinth, Vol. IV. Part I I . Terracotta Lamps, Cambridge/ 
Mass. 1930 
DAG — F. C a b r o l — D. H. L e c l e r o q , Dictionnaire d'archeologie chretienne et 
de la liturgie, vol. VIII/1, Paris 1932, s.v. Lampes 
D e l a t t r e — A. L. D c l a t t r e , Musee Lavigerie de St. Louis de Carthage, Paris 1900 
F o r r e r — E. P o r r e r , Die friihchristlichen Alterthiimer aus der Grdberfelde von 
Achmin-Panopolis, Strassburg 1893 
G a r r u c c i — R. G a r r u c c i , Storia delta Arte Cristiana nei primi otto secoli della 
Chiesa, vol. VI, Prato 1880 
H a n o u n e — R. H a n o u n e , Lampes de Graviscae, Melanges d'Archeologie 
et d'Histoire, vol. 82, Paris 1970, pp. 237—262 
Menze l — H. Menzel , Antike Lampen in Romisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum 
su Mainz, Mainz 1954 
Nies sen — Beschreibung Iiomischer Alterthiimer gesammelt von Carl Anton 
Niessen, Koln 1911. 
P o n s i c h — M. P o n s i c h , Lampes romaines de Carthage, RA 1960, 2, pp. 170—180 
S z e n t l e l e k y — T. S z e n t l e l e k y , Ancient Lamps, Budapest 1969 
CATALOGUE 
1. One-wick lamp 
Red clay. Length: 0137, width: 0-082 m. Czartoryski Collection. Inv. No. MNK XI-5. 
IV—Vc.A.D. 
ti/ 
Bound lamp -with a long nozzle framed 
by two vanishing volutes. Slightly convexed 
discus with two filling-holes. In between, a mo-
nogram of Christ (letter "rho" turned to the 
left). On the wide shoulders are decorations 
with an alternate composition of rosettes and 
four-petaled flowers. Vertical handle changing 
on the body in two incised eolutes extending 
to the bottom ring. Good condition; smoked 
wick-hole. 
Cf. B r o n e e r , No. 1453, Fig. 202; volutes on the body: 
Menzel , No. 612; H a n o u n e , No. 56, No. 61. 
68 
2. One-wick lamp 
3. One-wick lamp 
4. One-wick lamp 
•7 
Eed clay with grey coating. Length: 0-122, width: 
0-078 m. Czartoryski Collection. Inv. No. MNK XI-8. 
IV— Vc.A.D. 
Pear-shaped body. Slightly convexed discus 
decorated with a monogramed cross (letter 
"rho" turned to the left). Two filling-holes 
between its arms. A convexed channel joins the 
discus with a large wick- hole. The wide shoulders 
herring-bone ornamented. Vertical handle. On 
the base a circle with a letter "P". Good con­
dition. 
Cf. Menzel, No. 616; Szent l e l eky , No. 235. 
Red clay. Length: 0­107, width: 0­073 m. Czarto­
ryski Collection. Inv. No. MNK XI­850. IV—Vc.A.D. 
Pear­shaped body. Wide shoulders decorated 
with curling plants. Flat discus with two small 
filling­holes, decorated with a monogramed 
cross (letter "rho" to the right) with small 
granules. Three concentric rings at the bottom. 
Handle and nozzle broken away. 
Cf. Broneer, No. 1463, PI. XXI. 
Red clay. Length: 0­107, width: 0­058 m. Czarto­
ryski Collection. Inv. No. MNK XI­1283. IV—Vc.A.D. 
Elongated lamp with wide shoulders decora­
ted with short deep cuttings, surrounded by two 
incised lines (simplified version of the herring­
bone ornamentation). In a slightly concave 
discus two large filling­holes and a monogramed 
cross (letter "rho" turned to the right) decorated 
with small, straight notches. Elongated nozzle. 
Vertical handle separated in the middle by an 
incised line. It follows the base in a carved loop. 
Part of a nozzle broken away. 
Cf. Menzol, No. 616; S z e n t l e l e k y , No. 239b, 
242 b (base). 
69 
Red clay. Length: 0-135, width: 0-075 m. Grubissich 
Collection. Found on the terrain of Carthage. Inv. No. 
MNK XI-A-82 (f. 123868). I V — V c . A . D . 
Elongated lamp with wide shoulders decorated 
with carved circles and stylized four-petaled 
flowers. On slightly concaved discus a raono-
gramed cross (letter "rho" turned to the left). 
Wide nozzle with a big wick-hole. Vertical 
handle. Large hole in the middle of the discus, 
an ornament on the shoulders partly smudged, 
smoked wick-hole. 
Cf. B r o n e e r , No. 1463, PI. X X I ; S z e n t l e l e k y , No. 
235; F o r r e r , Vol. I l l , Fig. 15; DAO, Figs. 6562, 6565. 
Yellow-brown clay. Length: 0-110 m, width: 0-065 m. 
Leon Kostka Collection. Inv. No. MNK XI-A-97 (f. 
160502). I V — V c . A . D . 
Lamp with elongated body, wide shoulders 
decorated alternatively with squares filled with 
granules and circles with inscribed rhombs. In 
a slightly concave discus a large hole does not 
allow to read the decoration (probably a mono-
gramed cross with the letter "rho" turned right). 
Long and wide nozzle finished with a large 
wick-hole. Vertical handle. Large hole in the 
discus. 
Cf. S z e n t l e l e k y , No. 235, 236; DAO, Figs. 6562, 
6565; D e l a t t r e , PI. X , 3; F o r r e r , PI. V, 3 (an ornament 
on the shoulders). 
Red clay. Length: 0-145, width: 0-083 m. Grubissich 
Collection. Found on the terrain of Carthage. Inv. No. 
MNK XI-A-75 (f. 123865). I V — V c . A . D . 
Elongated lamp with wide shoulders deco­
rated with squares, circles and hearts with in­
ternal geometrical ornamentation. On a slightly 
concave discus a fish is shown between two filling 
holes. Wide nozzle finished with a large wick­
hole. The sign,­.at the bottom. Vertical handle 
with a rib cxtented to the base­ring. Good 
condition, smoked wick­hole. 
Cf. M e n z e l , No. 599 (different ornament on the 
shoulders); D e l a t t r e , PI. VIII, 6. 
70 
8. One-wick lamp 
tWti 
Brown-yellow clay. Length: 0-102, width: 0-060 m. 
Czartoryski Collection. Inv. No. MNK XI-6. IV— 
Vc.A.D. 
Lamp -with elongated body. Slightly concave 
discus with representation of a bird between two 
filling-holes. The shoulders decorated with con­
centric circles. Vertical handle divided with 
deep cuttings, runs to the bottom in an incised 
loop. Good condition, smoked wick­hole. 
Cf. Niessen, No. 2126 (ornament); Menzel, No. 
616, Abb. 79, 6. 
9. One­wick lamp 
0 
Red clay. Length: 0-087, width: 0-075 m. Czarto­
ryski Collection. Inv. No. MNK XI­849. IV­Vc.A.D. 
Lamp with a slightly oval body. On the discus 
between two filling­holes a bird in the left 
profile is represented. Wide nozzle. Vertical 
handle divided with deep cuttings runs to the 
bottom in an incised loop. On the base three 
circles, the middle composed by two concen­
tric rings. The nozzle and part of the body 
broken away, traces of smoke. 
Cf. Menzel, No. 613, Abb. 79, 2 (type and deco­
ration of shoulders). 
10. One­wick lamp 
• * 
Eed clay. Length: 0­125, width: 0­072 m. Gru­
bissich Collection. Inv. No. MNK XI­A­240 (f. 123866). 
IV—Vc.A.D. 
Elongated lamp with wide shoulders framed 
with convex roll. On the shoulders stylized 
hearts and fragments of vines plaited in "s" 
curves. On a slightly concave discus between 
two filling holes is representation of a cock in 
the right profile. Wide nozzle with a big wick­
hole. Thick base­ring. On the base there are 
traces of scratched clay. Handle broken away; 
smoked nozzle and wick­hole. 
Cf. D e l a t t r e , PI. VIII, 9. 
71 
11. One-wick lamp 
12. One-wick lamp 
W V S W 
13. One-wick lamp 
- > 
.... 
Red clay. Length; 0112, width: 0-08 m. Czarto-
ryski Collection. Inv. No. MNK XI-409. IV—Vc.A.D. 
Elongated lamp with wide shoulders deco­
rated with herring­bone ornament. On a con­
cave discus between two filling­holes a rabbit( ?) 
running is represented. Wide channel finished 
with a large wick­hole. Vertical handle divided 
in the middle by deep cuttings changing on 
the body in volutes. Good condition; smoked 
wick­hole. 
Cf. Hanoune, No. 46; Forrer, t. II, 11. 
Red clay. Length: 0-105 m, width: 0-0(55 m. Gru-
bisaich Collection. Inv. No. MNK XI-A-92 (f. 123867). 
IV—Vc.A.D. 
Elongated lamp with shoulders decorated 
with a herring­bone ornament, neglectfully exe­
cuted. On a slightly concave discus a stylized 
cross composed of two fragments of tendril 
(vertical arms) and two hearts (horizontal arms). 
In the place of the joint there are four con­
centric circles. Under horizontal arms two 
filling­holes. Vertical handle. On the base incised 
letter "B". Nozzle broken away; large part of 
the body is smoked. 
Cf. inscription — Broneer, No. 1484, PI. XXXIII 
Red clay. Length: 0-132 m, width: 0-075 m. Gru-
bissich Collection. Inv. No. MNKXI-A-78 (f. 123864). 
IV—Vc.A.D. 
Elongated lamp with wide shoulders deco­
rated with indecipherable ornament. On slightly 
concave discus a bird in the left profile. Upon 
and under it filling­holes. Wide nozzle. Big 
wick­hole. Vertical handle. Design on shoulders 
indecipherable; smoked wick­hole. 
Cf. Broneer, No. 1454; BAG, Fig. 6640. . 
72 
14. One-wick l amp 
Grey clay. Length: 0-12 m, width: 0-068 m. Donation 
of Joseph Poller. Inv. No. MNK XI-A-74 (f. MNK IV-
A-55). I V — V c . A . D . 
Elongated lamp with wide shoulders de­
corated alternatively with circles with inscribed 
rombs and squares filled with granules. On a sligh­
t ly concave discus are represented two men en 
face. They are carrying a stick on the shoulders 
of which the bunch of grapes is hanging. Upon 
and under the grapes are two filling­holes. Long 
and wide nozzle with a big wick­hole. Vertical 
handle with a small hole. Good condition; 
a wick­hole part ly smoked. 
Cf. G a r r u c c i . P l . 475, 3 ; D e l a t t r e , PI. VIII, 3;DAC, 
Pig. 6667; B r o n e e r , No. 1471, Fig. 204; M e n z e l , No. 597, Abb. 77, 2. 
The scene on the discus belongs to a repertory often shown in Early 
Christian Art, and is also found in artifacts of other categories (sarcophagi, 
glass, gems). I t represents two emissaries of Moses to the land of Canaan 
(Num. 13, 24), and t he grape symbolizes the Eucharis t . 
M 


Group of "African" oil-lamps in the collection of the National Museum in Cracow

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Group of "African" oil-lamps in the collection of the National Museum in Cracow

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