Working on an excavation site takes a lot of determination, energy, and wide array of skills. It requires extensive manual labor in the blistering heat, attention to detail, a very specific set of rules and regulations, and, to properly maintain and successfully operate an excavation site and team, a vast collection of historical knowledge. There are rewards, however; if you have a yearning for knowledge, and a desire to touch a piece of history, the extensive effort is worth it. The location of this project doesn’t hurt either.

Even on the most grueling days, while the sun is bearing down on me and I’m hauling a wheelbarrow full of dirt and clay onto the spoil heap, I take a second to look around and remember where I’m standing. I look at the stalks of wheat which surround our site, bending and forming waves in the breeze. I see the calm waters of Lake Chiusi just below us, and the city of Chiusi, itself, atop the hill across the lake, and it places me in the historical context of our site, standing near one of the most important cities in Etruscan history, and at the gateway to the lifestyle of the wealthy villa owners and agriculturalists who lived there. Excuse the corny sentiment, but the beautiful scenery and these momentary reflections soothe me and give me the motivation to continue trying to unearth some amazing finds. The prior commentary after all, is not to discourage, but instead to paint a realistic portrayal of a day at the site.

This area of which I speak is the site of the Gioiella-Vaiano Villa in Castiglione del Lago. I’ve had the great opportunity of attending the Trasimeno Archaeological Field School and excavating this beautiful site under the instruction of Dr. Foss and Dr. Schindler, professors at DePauw University in Indiana. A typical day in the field involves proper sectioning, elevation measurements, pick-axing, troweling, articulating, and cleaning. Common finds include potsherds, brick, and tile, among less common bones, tesserae, and metal. One item that was particularly intriguing was a near completely intact clay lamp. This discovery was made by our trench mates, and immediately piqued the interest of all our group members, resulting in a team huddle and history lesson by Dr. Foss. I was able to connect to history tangibly, and understand what led to the item’s creation.

Aside from my own personal pleasure in being part of a team that’s discovering these items, it helps construct the timeframe and historical context of our site and its inhabitants, this being the overall goal. Therefore, intact pieces are extremely valuable to archaeologists, since analyzing their material, style, and maker’s marks or inscriptions allows a date to be established. For example, the lamp we found has an inscription at the bottom that is likely the mark of an established lamp maker, which can show us the origins of its creation by tracing their other handiworks found elsewhere, as well as getting a date of manufacture. Aside from the maker’s mark, much can be learned from the materials within the clay itself, as it varied upon location. In addition, the lamp can also vary by style, markings, designs, color and texture. All of these features can indicate where the lamp was produced. Not only this, but it can give you a window into the culture of a particular society, and even more so, can display the status of its users, which is safe to assume were of high class at our site.

These lamps are important for archaeologists today, but they were obviously particularly important functionally for the Romans, and others in the Mediterranean, back then. Artificial light was common, and its use was widespread all across Rome. These pottery oil lamps were seen as an advancement from the traditional beeswax or tallow candles that were used beforehand. They were more expensive, but they, of course, lasted longer. The way these lamps were used was by adding oil into the central hole, and then lighting a wick placed in the nozzle of the lamp. These wicks were usually made of linen, and sometimes flax or papyrus. Olive or vegetable oils were the source of fuel for the lamps.

There were three different ways to construct pottery oil lamps: handmade, wheel made, or by mold. Molds became the popular choice later on since they offered an easier and more efficient way to make large quantities, while keeping manufacturing organized and standardized. Molds were made using either clay, or the preferred plaster, since it can be left out to dry rather than fired like the clay. The mold would be in two halves, into which the clay would be pressed and then the halves pressed together, and afterwards left to dry. Following the drying process, the mold would be removed and wet clay added to the seams to make it appear neat. The holes would then be cut out, forming either the filling, wick, or air hole, and then the handle would be added or shaped. Finally, the lamp would be left to air dry before being fired in a vertical kiln.

Pottery oil lamps come in many shapes, ranging from simple round and oval, to elaborate animal shapes. The lamp we found on our site is a discus-style lamp, which was the dominant style between the first and second century A.D. The number of nozzles can also vary, but the lamp we found, although missing its nozzle, only possessed one. The type and amount of decoration can also differ, based on size and shape limitations. Some contained particular scenes or depictions that related to the culture or history, while others, like our lamp, have more simple embellishments, such as raised circles and dots around the central hole, forming a cornucopia.

Aside from the simple function of lighting a dark room, these oil lamps served additional purposes, as well. They were used as a source of illumination for businessmen inside and outside of their shops to attract customers, by soldiers in their forts or camps, by fisherman to light their boats when fishing at night, and they were even used on galleys to indicate their positions to other ships. Even the entertainment industry made good use of these lamps by illuminating sporting events, or as special effects for their theater shows. And of course they were used ritualistically to light temples and shrines, or even as ritualistic offerings, since light was considered a blessing. It was used for burial practices, as well, “in order to light the way into the afterlife.”

Regardless, each style and function provides a different story for archaeologists to interpret, and with enough evidence, add another chapter to the history books. So although they may appear to be only simple objects, their diverse utility in the past and narrative forming capabilities in the present, make them complex and valuable pieces at an archaeological site. Unearthing this, among the many other objects found in our site, in conjunction with all the schooling, museums, and field trips, has provided me with an enriching experience which is a great starting point for any prospective archaeologist and historian.

“Description and History of Oil Lamps | Milwaukee Public Museum.” Oneida Culture – Indian Country Wisconsin. Accessed June 25, 2018. https://www.mpm.edu/research-collections/anthropology/anthropology-collections-research/mediterranean-oil-lamps/description-and-history-oil-lamps.