Mold-made bowls and Ephesus-lamps from Ephesus

Mold-made bowls and Ephesus-lamps were the major products of the large hellenistic ceramic industry at Ephesus. The here presented project is focused on a contextual analysis of both ceramic classes, because of their reciprocal dependences, their similar chronological development and finally because of their wide distribution throughout the Mediterranean. Identical decoration motifs on the shoulders respectively the nozzles on the lamps and on the surface of the beakers suggest that both were made in the same work-shops. The homogeneous fabric and several moulds allow a certain assignment to Ephesus. Further on an analysis of both classes based on the Ephesian material offers the possibility to define production series of the so-called "Ionian-work-shops". Closed deposits from the Tetragonos-Agora and from the terrace-houses (Hanghäuser 1 und 2) are basics for the chronological sequences starting in the late 3rd century until the early 1st century AD. Due to this development the ceramic history of Ephesus in late-hellenistic times with its huge export-industry has to be characterized. The analysis is primary focused on the Ephesian material, but includes also Ephesian products at other sites especially in the Aegean an Asia Minor. A broad discussion concerning the Ephesian ceramic industry, the hellenistic trade connections, the relation between local production, imports and exports with its implication to questions of "greek- hellenistic traditions" and "romanization" is the final aim of the presented project. The chronological frame is given by the material itself. Mold-made bowls were produced from the late 3rd century onwards until the second or the third quarter of the 1st century BC. The production of the Ephesus-lamps started in the 2nd century BC, but several preceders from the 1st quarter of the 3rd century onwards have to be discussed. Deposits of the early 1st century AD containing late Ephesus-lamps combined with early Italian import lamps are the latest evidences for hellenistic traditions in the ceramic production of Ephesus.

The analyses of Hellenistic relief-bowls and Ephesus-lamps were focused on a definition of local work-shops, on the impact for other production and consumption centres as well as on the limitations to import wares. A major aspect lied on the chronological development and on the contextual setting of both wares in late Hellenistic and early imperial deposits in Ephesus. One may observe that the decoration motifs on bowls and lamps do not fit with each other. The similarities are not caused by a repertoire of a special work-shop, but indicate a traditionalism in taste and behaviour of the consumers. Further more, bowls and lamps follow a different chronological development and were not produced in the same work-shops. In the case of the relief-wares not only bowls in different dimensions, but also krateroi, krateriskoi, amphorae, jugs and juglets could be defined. Therefore we might reconstruct services of relief-decorated vessels. We are now able to distinguish several types of Ephesus-lamps and to put them into a chronological sequence. The definition and characterisation of work-shops based on signatures and stamp-motifs is now possible due to an acute analysis of every decoration-motif. The production of the Ephesus-lamps started at the end of the 2nd century BC and continued until late Augustan period, while the relief-wares had its peak in the 2nd half of the 2nd century BC. In the 2nd half of the 1st century relief-wares had already disappeared. One of the major results is the classification of stamp-motifs of both wares in an adequate catalogue. Based on this classification it is now easily possible to determine the material without extensive description. At the moment the results get prepared for publication financed by the Austrian Academy of Science.