Roman clay lantern from Bijan Island (Iraq)

摘要

Lanterns are not as commonly represented in published collections of finds from archaeologicaludcontexts as could be expected compared to regular oil lamps. These sherds of wheelmadeudpottery from Polish excavations on Bijan Island on the Euphrates were only recently identified asuda lantern in the shape of a kind of naiskos with a zoomorphic figurine above the opening. The articleuddiscusses the function of such lanterns, mundane objects providing light in the darkness, but at theudsame time exemplifying the apotropaic character of the flame in domestic shrine contexts.