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Background

Due to the size and reach of the Roman Empire from the Bronze Age to around the fifteenth century AD, lamps spread rapidly across the Mediterranean Basin. These lamps, their production methods, and iconography spread from the main empire and diffused into local traditions. Local artisans created lamps that represented their local cultures and beliefs. This lead to the vast differences in decoration seen on lamps within the collection. 

Cultures of the Ancient Mediterranean Basin represented in the UMD Collection include: Holy Land Lamps, Greek Lamps, Nabatean Lamps, Roman Lamps, Islamic Lamps, and other hybrid representations. Please check out the Lamp Classifications page for additional information on each culture and their lamp traditions.