Olympos Glass Lamps and Metal Lamp Components

Abstract

Regular archaeological excavations have been carried out in the ancient city of Olympos, an important settlement of the Lycian region, since 2006. The intensification of studies in recent years has revealed important results that enable us to recognize the city. The Byzantine period urban texture, which developed on the Roman period city plan of Olympos, can be clearly observed today. In addition to architectural elements, small finds also play an important role in understanding both the urban texture and urban history. Small finds allow us to reach important conclusions in understanding the lifestyle and economic conditions of the inhabitants of Olympos. This article focuses on the glass oil lamps and metal oil lamp components from Olympos. The use of glass lamps as an element of lighting in the Byzantine period and their place in society are also discussed. The glass and metal finds with typological distinctions and descriptions are arranged as a catalog at the end of the article. The headings in the text have been arranged in accordance with the catalog, and analytical evaluations have been made. In addition, the artifacts discussed in the article are evaluated according to their findspots. As a result of these analyses, it can be concluded that the Olympos glass lamps and their metal components mainly date to the 5th-6th centuries AD. Accordingly, it was concluded that the use of glass lamps was concentrated in public and religious areas.