TY - JOUR
T1 - Fiat Lux
T2 - Functional Analysis of Three Saxo-Norman Pottery Lamps from Berkeley, Gloucestershire
AU - Blinkhorn, Paul
AU - Cramp, Lucy
AU - Prior, Stuart
AU - Glass, Emily
AU - Horton, Mark
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - THIS PAPER COMPRISES analysis of three Saxo-Norman pottery lamps recovered during archaeological excavations in 2012 in the Edward Jenner Museum garden, Berkeley, Gloucestershire. While such vessels have been known to archaeologists since the earliest days of Saxon and medieval pottery studies, their specific function, other than general ‘lighting’, has never been considered. Similarly, the composition of the fuel in such lamps has not been scientifically verified. In the following paper, both of these areas are addressed through experimental archaeology and organic residue analysis. The conclusion reached is that the lamps were chosen for use in a late-Saxon industrial workshop as they were ideal for the setting, providing a consistent, stable and bright light source in comparison with other available lighting methods of the period.
AB - THIS PAPER COMPRISES analysis of three Saxo-Norman pottery lamps recovered during archaeological excavations in 2012 in the Edward Jenner Museum garden, Berkeley, Gloucestershire. While such vessels have been known to archaeologists since the earliest days of Saxon and medieval pottery studies, their specific function, other than general ‘lighting’, has never been considered. Similarly, the composition of the fuel in such lamps has not been scientifically verified. In the following paper, both of these areas are addressed through experimental archaeology and organic residue analysis. The conclusion reached is that the lamps were chosen for use in a late-Saxon industrial workshop as they were ideal for the setting, providing a consistent, stable and bright light source in comparison with other available lighting methods of the period.
U2 - 10.1080/00766097.2017.1295911
DO - 10.1080/00766097.2017.1295911
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
SN - 0076-6097
VL - 61
SP - 104
EP - 116
JO - Medieval Archaeology
JF - Medieval Archaeology
IS - 1
ER -