Hellenistic Period Mould-Made Oil Lamps From the Sinop Museum

Hellenistic Period mould-made oil lamps from the Hellenistic Period were first produced in the early 3rd century BC and remained in use until the first half of the 1st century AD. This study examines Hellenistic Period mould-made lamps housed in the Sinop Museum. These lamps, originating from the ancient city of Sinope, one of the most significant harbor cities in the Paphlagonia Region, were acquired through excavations, purchases, and donations. The museum collection was analyzed and categorized into three sub-types: Ephesus-type oil lamps, lamps with a channel on the nozzle, and lamps depicting antithetic Erotes. Due to the absence of stratigraphical dating data, the lamps were identified by comparing them with similar lamps from nearby neighboring and distant centers. The Ephesus-type oil lamps, known for their distinctive characteristics, are dated from the mid-2nd century BC to the late 1st century BC, their peak period of popularity. The substantial quantity of these lamps reveals intensive trade connections with Western Anatolia. The coexistence of high-quality examples alongside cruder, imperfect versions suggests that local workshops may have produced imitations of the Ephesus-type lamps. However, clay analyses are necessary to confirm this hypothesis definitively. A variation of the Ephesus-type oil lamp, featuring a channel on the nozzle, is represented by a single specimen in the collection. Similarly, an oil lamp depicting antithetic Erotes, also a singular example, dates between the mid-2nd century BC and the 1st century BC. The latter underscores trade activity with the Eastern Mediterranean region.