Chapter 2 - Archaeological Indicators of Mediterranean Sea Trade

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Mediterranean or an imitation. The Balathal lamp compares well with a particular
Graeco-Roman lamp type produced in the early centuries of the Christian Era (see
catalogue of Mediterranean lamp types in Biers 1980: p.321, fig. 10.62:f, Fig. 12).
Also, from the Early Historic levels of Balathal, a tortoise shaped clay lamp.
was excavated (Misra et al. 1995: Fig. 14c). This lamp can be confidently compared
to a copper Roman lamp in shape of tortoise excavated from Early Historic levels at
Padri (discussion below).
Padri (District Bhavnagar, Gujarat): A 'tortoise-shaped' copper lamp
excavated from the Early Historic levels at Padri is dated by the excavator to 1st
century B.C. - 1st century A.D (Shinde 1992:81; Pl. X). The lamp is an importation
from the Roman World. It has the diagnostic features of Roman lamps such as the
rounded enclosed container with a central rimmed orifice and a covered, elongated
nozzle for the wick. Four lugs projecting from the body of the lamp must have
been used for suspending it. Rusted remains of iron rings observed on lugs on the
body of the lamp reveal that it was suspended on iron chains. The lamp is
approx 10
cm in length and approx. 7.5 cm in breath. The outer diameter of its rim is approx. 5
cm. A clay imitation of the copper lamp has been excavated from contemporaneous
levels at Balathal (see discussion above).
Baroda (Dist. Baroda, Gujarat): Two vessels in grey ware excavated from
Pd.III and Pd.IV levels at Baroda show sharp resemblance to Mediterranean lamps.
Both lamps are similar to the type excavated at Balathal (model illustrated in Fig. 12)
The dating of the suspected Mediterranean type lamps from Baroda is late from our
point of view. Baroda Pd.III is placed between 7th-10th century A.D. and Pd.IV
between 11th-13th century A.D. (Subbarao 1953:43-45). The vessels may be
representative of Mediterranean types continuing in later times.
Besnagar (Dist. Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh): A copper vessel excavated from
Besnagar by Bhandarkar (ASI Annual Report 1914-15:66-68, 86) seems to be an oil
lamp as indicated by a spout-like elongation (Fig. 12). Bhandarkar explained the
object as an "utensil for offering worship to gods." The vessel, however, has affinity
with Roman lamp types (see Fig. 12 for comparison).
Ter (Dist. Osmanabad, Maharashtra) This important Early Historic site in
the western Deccan, identified with the inland emporia of Tagara named in the
Periplus, has yielded a terracotta suspension lamp and a number of conch-shell
shaped terracotta lamps inspired by Mediterranean forms.
Deshpande (1965 607) describes the suspension lamp
"The object is
shaped in the form of a female bust. The head is hollow and is provided with a