Inventory number
ΕΑΜ Χ 7038
Category
Lamp
Period
Classical Period
Date
End of 5th cent. BC
Dimensions
Height: 0.074 m
Length: 0.29 m
Material
Bronze
Location
First Floor Free-standing Case 42, Νο 1
Lamp in the shape of a warship. It was found inside the Erechtheion in 1862. The bow at the front, between the ram and the small deck with the railing, accommodates the slot for the wick. At the back, the stern ends in a bird's head with a double beak, while the beam protruding from the side would have served to secure the ship's double rudder. Inside the lamp survives a small section of the mast step, the thick beam at the bottom of the hull used to secure the foot of the mast. The engraved circles on the exterior are the openings through which the oars passed. The inscription ΙΕΡΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΑΘΗΝΑΣ confirms that the lamp was a sacred object that belonged to the goddess.
The shape of the lamp relates to the celebration of the Greater Panathenaia and the offering of the Panathenaic peplos as after the naval battle of Salamis the Athenians carried to the Acropolis the peplos attached like a sail to the mast of a warship, possibly one of the triremes that took part in the battle, which moved on wheels.
We use cookies to improve your experience on our site
The use of your data is described in the privacy settings