Chapter 2 - Archaeological Indicators of Mediterranean Sea Trade

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central knob with a transverse perforation for suspension. The features are
typically Roman; the terracotta is pink in colour and is made from fine well-
levigated clay, quite different from terracottas of Ter, and appears to be an import."
Also, terracotta lamps having rounded hollow containers with single orifice
and long covered nozzles akin to Mediterranean tradition have been collected by
antiquarians from the site of Ter. A large number of these conch-shaped or fish-
shaped lamps, in red fabric, are kept in the Ter Museum. Some of these lamps are
decorated with "anthropomorphic or a zoomorphic figurine" (Cimino 1994:164).
Gorakhshkar (1975:28-29) relates the Ter lamps to an inscription from Alluru (Dist.
Krishna, Andhra Pradesh) dated to early centuries A.D. which refers to Yonaka
divikaya (Yavana lamps) "gifted to a temple including some hand lamps of the vadaka
fish-shape."
Bhokardan (Dist. Aurangabad, Maharashtra): Nozzle-like fragments with
anthropomorphic and zoomorphic decorations close to the Ter fish-shaped lamps
have been recovered from levels dated to 3rd century A.D. (Deo and Gupte
1974:Fig. 18, 19).
Nasik (Dist. Nasik, Maharashtra): A cylindrical copper object excavated
at the Early Historic site of Nasik may be a candle-stand imported from the
Mediterranean. The excavators describe the object as: "A stand or handle-like
cylindrical object, broken in four pieces, with tapering ends. Possibly the end is slightly
broader at the butt end or at the base, and the narrower, with a hole for insertion the
front or the top end. There is a broad deep groove below this. The whole is
marked by thin grooves all over the body." (Sankalia and Deo 1955: 108-109). The
copper stand from Nasik is very similar in form and decoration (body grooves) to
an Eastern Mediterranean variety of candle-stand (Fig. 12). The socket on top of
the stand from Nasik must have been to hold the candle. The tradition of burning
candles originated in Etruscan Italy (6th-5th century B.C.) and then spread to
Greece/Eastern Mediterranean. Socketed candle-stands proliferated in the Roman
period (Forbes 1967: 133-134, 140).
The candle-stand has been recovered from Layer 5 which falls in Early
Historic Pd. IIA at the site. This period has been attributed a date of 400-200 B.C.
by the excavators (Sankalia and Deo 1955:27-29, 109).
Manikpatna (Dist. Puri, Orissa): Terracotta lamps excavated from 1st century
A.D. levels at the ancient port of Manikpatna seemed to be modelled on
Mediterranean types (Pl. XI). The lamps clearly display affinity with Mediterranean
types in the shape of the container and the long wick In particular, the lamp No 1