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E01657: Silver and pottery lamps with Greek inscriptions referring to the 'blessing of the God-Bearer', i.e. *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033). Found in Syria, exact provenance usually unknown. Possibly produced in Jerusalem. Probably late antique.
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posted on 2016-06-24, 00:00 authored by pnowakowskiWe have collected here a number of lamps from Syria, of different materials and shape, but all with very similar invocations of Mary as the God-Bearer. There are no published indications of date, but all, or most, are probably late antique, from the later 5th c. onwards (when the cult of Mary took off). They were probably produced and distributed to pilgrims in Jerusalem (see: $E02830: lamps under section 3 bear an identical designation of the workshop of one Ioannes).
Lamp 1:
A clay lamp. Max. diameter: 0.075 m.
First published by Jean Baptiste Chabot in Journal asiatique in 1900. When recorded, it was kept in the library of the Convent of Saint Theresa in Aleppo. Provenance unknown.
The inscriptions run around the central whole, in two lines:
A: εὐλογία τῆς Θεοτόκου μεθ' ἡμῶν
'The blessing of the God-Bearer is with us.'
B: + ἐπίγραμα Ἰωάννου
'The engraving of Ioannes.'
Text: Chabot 1900, 271 = IGLS I, no. 218.
Ioannes is the name of the artisan, who made the lamp.
Lamp 2:
A clay lamp. Dimensions unknown.
First published by Jean Baptiste Chabot in Journal asiatique in 1900. When recorded, it was kept in the collection of antiquities of G. Marcopoli in Aleppo. Provenance unknown. The inscription runs around the central hole:
εὐλογία τῆς Θεοτόκου μεθ' ἡμῶ[ν]
'The blessing of the God-Bearer is with us.'
Text: Chabot 1900, 271 = IGLS I, no. 219.
Lamp 3:
A reddish pottery lamp with seven holes, and an inscription on two concentric bands.
First published by William Fulco in 1979. When recorded, it was kept in the Museum of the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley. Purchased from a dealer of antiquities. Claimed provenance: Syria.
A: [εὐ]λ[ογ]ία [τ]ῆς Θεοτόκου με[θ' ἡμῶ]ν
'The blessing of the God-Bearer is with us.'
B: + ἐπίγραμα Ἰωάννου
'The engraving of Ioannes.'
Text: Fulco 1979, 27-28 = SEG 29, 1601.
Lamp 4:
A pottery lamp. Diameter: 0.06 m; letter height 0.008 m. Decorated with a sinusoid line and two lozenges.
First published by Jacques Jarry in 1970. Found at Zediye (north Syria). Kept in the Collection Laudien.
A: ἐπίγραμα Ἰωάννου
'The engraving of Ioannes.'
B: εὐλογία τῆς Θεοτόκου ηγου
'The blessing of the God-Bearer [- - -].'
Text: Jarry 1970, 212, no. 61.
The meaning of the last word is not clear. Perhaps it is the abbreviation of ἡγούμενος/'superior of a monastery'.
Lamp 1:
A clay lamp. Max. diameter: 0.075 m.
First published by Jean Baptiste Chabot in Journal asiatique in 1900. When recorded, it was kept in the library of the Convent of Saint Theresa in Aleppo. Provenance unknown.
The inscriptions run around the central whole, in two lines:
A: εὐλογία τῆς Θεοτόκου μεθ' ἡμῶν
'The blessing of the God-Bearer is with us.'
B: + ἐπίγραμα Ἰωάννου
'The engraving of Ioannes.'
Text: Chabot 1900, 271 = IGLS I, no. 218.
Ioannes is the name of the artisan, who made the lamp.
Lamp 2:
A clay lamp. Dimensions unknown.
First published by Jean Baptiste Chabot in Journal asiatique in 1900. When recorded, it was kept in the collection of antiquities of G. Marcopoli in Aleppo. Provenance unknown. The inscription runs around the central hole:
εὐλογία τῆς Θεοτόκου μεθ' ἡμῶ[ν]
'The blessing of the God-Bearer is with us.'
Text: Chabot 1900, 271 = IGLS I, no. 219.
Lamp 3:
A reddish pottery lamp with seven holes, and an inscription on two concentric bands.
First published by William Fulco in 1979. When recorded, it was kept in the Museum of the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley. Purchased from a dealer of antiquities. Claimed provenance: Syria.
A: [εὐ]λ[ογ]ία [τ]ῆς Θεοτόκου με[θ' ἡμῶ]ν
'The blessing of the God-Bearer is with us.'
B: + ἐπίγραμα Ἰωάννου
'The engraving of Ioannes.'
Text: Fulco 1979, 27-28 = SEG 29, 1601.
Lamp 4:
A pottery lamp. Diameter: 0.06 m; letter height 0.008 m. Decorated with a sinusoid line and two lozenges.
First published by Jacques Jarry in 1970. Found at Zediye (north Syria). Kept in the Collection Laudien.
A: ἐπίγραμα Ἰωάννου
'The engraving of Ioannes.'
B: εὐλογία τῆς Θεοτόκου ηγου
'The blessing of the God-Bearer [- - -].'
Text: Jarry 1970, 212, no. 61.
The meaning of the last word is not clear. Perhaps it is the abbreviation of ἡγούμενος/'superior of a monastery'.
History
Evidence ID
E01657Saint Name
Mary, Mother of Christ : S00033Related Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Inscriptions - Inscribed objects Images and objects - Lamps, ampullae and tokensLanguage
- Greek
Evidence not before
400Evidence not after
800Activity not before
400Activity not after
800Place of Evidence - Region
Syria with Phoenicia Palestine with SinaiPlace of Evidence - City, village, etc
JerusalemPlace of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Thabbora Thabbora Jerusalem Caesarea Maritima Καισάρεια Kaisareia Caesarea Kayseri Turris StratonisCult activities - Activities Accompanying Cult
- Production and selling of eulogiai, tokens