Local Production Terracotta Sealed Unguentarium and Oil Lamps Found in Young Antique Workshops of Pisidia Antioch

Abstract

The terracotta unguentarium and oil lamps unearthed during the excavations in the theater’s stage building (skene), which was built in the Roman Imperial Period in the Ancient City of Pisidia Antioch in 2021, constitute the subject of the article. The stage building, which has lost its function since the 5th century AD, is preserved at the base level today. After the stage building lost its position, new spaces were built inside it from the spolia rubble. During the excavations, 442 pieces of terracotta oil lamps and unguentarium forms were found. A total of 22 pieces, including 7 sealed unguentariums and 15 oil lamps selected from these pieces, constitute the subject of the study. The monogram seals on the pieces defined as “Young Antiquity Unguentariums” were evaluated under 3 groups according to the how were processed. Oil lamps were also examined under 9 types according to their forms. While all the unguentariums show a close date, the lamps evaluated under type I are dated to the 3rd century AD, while the others are dated to the 6th-7th AD. All the oil lamps discussed under the title of Type II - Type IX are mold-made, matching the lamp molds found in the city. Comparisons of the finds with similar examples found in other cities were made, and dating was made by considering the context of the finds. The fact that bones left over from intensive production were unearthed in a building outside the areas where the terracotta artifacts were found indicates that this area, which forms the beginning of the agora, was used as an atelier and a shop in the late period. Likewise, it is highly probable the sealed unguetariums and oil lamps that are known to have been produced in Antioch were also produced/sold in these spaces.

Keywords

• pisidia antioch
• unguentariums
• seal
• oil lamp
• production