Ancient Lamps in the J. Paul Getty Museum

Ancient Lamps in the J. Paul Getty Museum
Jean Bussière and Birgitta Lindros Wohl

Some 630 lamps in the J. Paul Getty Museum represent production centers that were active across the ancient Mediterranean world between 800 B.C. and A.D. 800. Notable for their marvelous variety—from simple clay saucers that held just oil and a wick to elaborate figural lighting fixtures in bronze and precious metals—the Getty lamps display a number of unprecedented shapes and decors. Most were made in Roman workshops, which met the ubiquitous need for portable illumination in residences, public spaces, religious sanctuaries, and the grave. The omnipresent oil lamp is a font of popular imagery, illustrating myths, nature, and the activities and entertainments of daily life. Presenting a largely unpublished collection, this extensive catalogue is an invaluable resource for specialists in lychnology, art history, and archaeology alike.

Contents

• Director’s Foreword
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations and Notes to Readers
• Introduction
• Map

• Catalogue

  • Typological Classification
  1. Phoenico-Punic Clay Saucer Lamps
  2. Greek and Hellenistic Clay Lamps
  3. Roman-Period Clay Lamps
  4. Metal Lamps

• Indices

  • Index of Iconography
  • Index of Signatures and Inscriptions
  • Index of Donors and Vendors
  • Index of Place Names
  • Concordance of Identification Numbers
• Bibliography
• About the Authors
• About