16
According to Howland, this type—attested in the Athenian Agora during a period from the last quarter of the third century B.C. to the third quarter of the second century—is not well defined: “Its forms are irregular, not following a definite set pattern” (Howland 1958, p. 101). Lamps generally have a curved profile, such as Howland’s no. 438, pl. 15, which corresponds to the profile of cat. 16. Their tops can be rounded or concave; the bases are usually concave. Most lamps have a solid or pierced side-lug, some have a band handle. “The nozzles are long, flat or slightly rounded on top, with oval wick-holes well removed towards the ends which may be rounded or blunt” (p. 102). Since Howland attributes a later date to examples of his type with a blunt nozzle end, cat. 16 will be dated to the third quarter of the second century B.C.