Index of Signatures and Inscriptions
References are to catalogue numbers.
Latin Inscriptions
Forty-five percent of the Getty lamps bear an inscription or a mark. Only one metal lamp has an inscription, POI (retrograde) (cat. 616). Of the 286 marks on clay lamps, 132 are lampmakers’ names, indicated either in nomina, tria nomina, or initials. All the legible signatures are known from other lamps, except SOTE and Q.M.Q. and seven signatures of uncertain reading: ANSASIVS, EXOF[-]/CV[-]/OV[-]RS/I[-], EXOFICINA RO[-]YTI, IAR, MMPAXI/M[—], NAT, RV.VSI; all except the last two are most probably African.
The remaining marks consist of figurative motifs such as an ovolo, a palmette, vertical lines, a plain planta pedis, a rosette, a swastika, a trident, and other marks. These marks appear alone or associated with a lampmaker’s signature. Their meaning is not clear; some may help to identify a workshop, others may be purely decorative motifs (see Bailey BM II, pp. 104–8; Bussière 2000, pp. 233–36).
Lampmakers’ Signatures
Workshop name | Cat. no. | Remark | Place of manufacture | Period of activity |
---|---|---|---|---|
ANSASIVS | 400 | African | late second to early third centry A.D. | |
ATIMETI | 445 | Italic | Flavian | |
AVFIFRON | 359 | African | A.D. 130–170 | |
AVGENDI | 378, 384 | African | A.D. 175–225 | |
AVGVS/TIANI | 375 | African | A.D. 175–225 | |
CAMPILI | 450 | Italic | Flavian to 2nd century A.D | |
CCLOD//CCLOD | 180 | in planta pedis | Italic | A.D. 40–70 |
CCLOSV, CCLOSVC, CCLO.SVC, C.CLO.SVC | 205, 215, 255–59 | Italic, with African branches | A.D. 80/90–140 Flavian | |
CCORVRS | 287 | African | A.D 150/160–180 | |
CEIS (for CFELIS) | 296 | in planta pedis on Loeschcke type VIII | African | Late Flavian–Early Antonine |
CHELIAN | 393 | African | A.D. 175–225 | |
CLO.HEL | 308, 342 | Italic | A.D. 80–150 | |
CLO.HELI | 283 | Italic | A.D. 80–150 | |
CMEPO (for CMEVPO) | 268 | African | 1st half of 2nd century A.D. | |
COPPIRES, C.OPPI.RES | 142, 200, 211, 220, 241, 284, 300 | Italic | A.D. 80–160 | |
CPOMPO | 389 | Italic | end of 2nd century A.D. | |
EROTIS | 228 | Italic | A.D. 80/90–140 | |
EVCARP | 446 | Italic | Flavian | |
EXOFICI/NA C.V.S., EX OFICINA.C.V.S. | 315–16, 317 | 317 is inscribed on discus | African | A.D. 175–225 |
EXOF[-]/CV[-]/OV[-]RS/I[-] | 486 | African | 2nd half of 3rd century A.D.? | |
EX OFI/CINA/KAPITO/NIS | 381 | African | 1st half of 3rd century A.D. | |
EXOF/ICINIA/LVCI | 313 | African | some time in 2nd century A.D.? | |
EXOFICINA RO[-]YTI(?) | 380 | African | 1st half of 3rd century A.D. | |
EXOFLV/CCEIORV | 302 | African | A.D. 175–225 | |
FABRICMASC | 286 | Italic | A.D. 80/90–140 | |
FORTIS | 442–43 | Italic | A.D. 70–A.D. 230 | |
GABINIA | 206, 214 | Italic, with African branches | A.D. 80–140 | |
GABMERC | 235 | Italic | A.D. 80–100 | |
IAR(?) | 488 | African? | sometime in the 4th century A.D.? | |
IVNIALEXI | 292–93 | African | A.D. 120–200 | |
IVSTI | 290 | African | end of Flavian to Trajanic | |
LMA.D.IEC, L.MADIEC, LMADIEC, L.M.ADIEC | 224–25, 233, 260–62, 298, 448 | Italic, with African branches | A.D 90–140 | |
L.M.C. | 189 | Italic | A.D. 40–90 | |
L.M.SA | 202, 232 | African | Tiberian–Early Trajanic | |
LMVNPHILE, L.MVNPHILE | 297, 310, 346 | Italic, with African branches | end of Flavian to Hadrianic | |
LMVNSVC, L.MVNSVC, L.MVN.SVC | 203, 234, 236, 252–53, 271 | Italic, with African branches | end of Flavian to Trajanic | |
L.M.SV | 230 | Italic with African branches | end of Flavian to Trajanic | |
LVC | 272 | in planta pedis | Italic | A.D. 50–80 |
LVCCE/I | 319 | African | A.D. 175–225 | |
LVCCEIO/RVM | 314 | African | A.D. 175–225 | |
MMPAXI/M[—](?) | 317 | African | A.D. 175–225 | |
MNOVGERM, M.NOV.GERM | 146, 309 | African | A.D. 120–180 | |
MNOVIV | 294 | African | A.D. 120–180 | |
MNOVIVST | 289, 311 | African | A.D. 120–180 | |
MNOVIVSTI | 285, 289, 307 | African | A.D. 120–180 | |
M.S. | 184 | if = L.M.SV, see 230 | African | Tiberian to early Trajanic |
M SV | 204, 254 | if = L.M.SV, see 230 | Tiberian to early Trajanic | |
MVNARES | 227 | Italic | Flavian to Trajanic? | |
MVERCEVP | 229 | Italic | Flavian to Trajanic | |
NNAELVCI | 305, 345 | Italic | end of Flavian to Hadrianic | |
NAT | 101 | above a plain planta pedis in big letters | Anatolia | 1st half of 1st century A.D. |
OCTAVI | 449 | Italic | 2nd century A.D. | |
PHOETASPI | 144 | Italic based in Egypt | late 1st century A.D.–early 2nd century A.D. | |
POI (retrograde) | 616 | on a bronze lamp | Lower Rhine | A.D. 1–100 |
POSSESSO/RVM | 463 | African | A.D. 175–230 | |
PVF PVF | 213 | in planta pedis | Italic | A.D. 60–90 |
PVLCHRI | 447 | Italic | Flavian | |
PVLL/AENI | 379, 466 | African | end of Antonine–Severan | |
PVLL/AENO/RV | 364 | African | end of Antonine–Severan | |
Q.M.Q. | 340 | Greece | late Flavian–early Antonine | |
QNVMICEL | 343, 362 | Italic | end of Flavian to Hadrianic | |
QVINTVSIVS PICTORETCENENS | 401 | African | end of 3rd century A.D.? | |
ROMANE/SIS | 440 | Italic based at Cnidus | A.D. 70–130 | |
RV.VSI(?) | 276 | Italic? | ? | |
SERGPRIM | 347 | Italic | 1st half of 2nd century A.D. | |
SLMRMEVO | 301 | fake lamp | Italian forger | modern |
SOTE | 201 | African | Tiberian–early Trajanic | |
STROBILI | 444 | Italic based in Egypt | Flavian | |
VICT/ORINI | 468 | African | A.D. 175–230 |
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Lampmakers’ Signatures (continued)
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Illegible Planta Pedis
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Various Other Inscriptions
- New year wishes: . . . FAVSTVMFELICEMMIHIC inscribed on Victory’s shield, 248
- Victorious horse: REGNATOR inscribed on discus, 305
- Victorious charioteer: TERES inscribed in tabula ansata on discus, 222
- Victorious gladiators: SABINVS and POPILLIVS inscribed in tabula ansata on discus, 107
- Victorious gladiator: VALERIVS inscribed in tabula ansata on discus, 199
- Propaganda: OB CIIVIS SER[VATOS] inscribed on the shield of a Victory, 98
Greek Inscriptions
Of the eleven Greek inscriptions, no name is previously known from other lamps.
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Name of the Lampmaker or of the Owner of the Lamp
-
Religious Meaning
-
Commercial Meaning
- ΦΩC/ΑΓΑ/ΘΟΝ, 36
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Three First Letters of the Greek Alphabet on a Scroll
- ABΓ, 587
-
Uncertain Reading
- ΕΡΩΙC [?] / ΟΓΡΛΨΑ / ΟΙCΕΕΝ [?], 50
Makers’ Figurative Marks
- Plain planta pedis 99, 101, 130, 153, 170, 187, 209, 221, 240, 242, 248, 251, 304, 331, 337, 342, 344, 349–50, 352, 397, 402(?), 403–5, 407–10, 412, 414–16, 418–20, 422, 424–27, 429, 431, 435, 455, 513, 514, 520, 521, 522, 524–25, 526–29, 531–34, 537–38, 541, 547, 560, 596
Other Figurative Marks
45 | 104 | 137 | 188 | ||
200 | 231 | 243 | 255 | ||
500 | 572 | ||||
39 | 191 | 192 | 219 | 222 | |
254 | 283 | 289 | 584 | ||
228 | 236 | 253 | 291 | ||
294 | 297 | 398 | 440 | ||
70 | 386 | 523 | 517 | 543 | 545 |
94 | 175 | 176 | 286 | 315 | |
476 | 535 | ||||
342 | |||||
367 | 374 | 439 | 501 | 502 | |
364, 365, 373, 387, 389, 391, 392, 394, 395 | |||||
166 | 369 | 370 | 377 | ||
258 | 371 | 372 | 378 | 549 | 551 |
66 | 67 | 421 | 600 | ||