Euctemon - un producător de lucerne la Tomis (I)

Abstract

The paper starts by presenting the criteria which allow differentiating the lamps produced in Scythia Minor from the ones brought there from other provinces. It should be noticed that the lamps made in Tomis and in other Dobrudja centres are provided with ring handles instead of lamellar handles. The pottery manufacturer Euctemon – who signs the lamps made in his workshop with one name only, proof of his origin as a slave – produced three types of lamps. The first type stamped Euctemon belongs to the category of Firmalampen, the second type, with a rosette on the disk, is stamped EYKTHMΩN EΠOIEI, in Greek letters on two rows. The third type, with heart-shaped nib, can be further divided into five groups, according to the patterns represented on the disk: rooster, crater, grape, shell and cantharus, all bearing the same stamp in Greek: Euctemon has made it (the lamp). The largest quantity of stamped lamps is to be found in Tomis, a fact that makes us place his workshop in that city. His lamps are dated to the 2nd century AD, but imitations, made in other workshops, circulated from the 2nd to the 4th century AD.

Keywords: Scythia Minor, lamps, workshop, Euctemon.