Behind the Scenes: Depicting Oil Lamps on Archaic and Classical Greek Pottery

Oil lamps are considered one of the most abundant archaeological remnants available at Greek archaeological sites. They have also been depicted in multiple scenes on Archaic and Classical pottery. However, there is no comprehensive study of the representations of oil lamps on pottery and an attempt to understand the various aspects of these scenes.
This study aims to clarify the artistic and cultural significance of oil lamps as depicted on pottery dating back to the Archaic and Classical periods of Greek civilization. This is achieved through an examination of the visual representation of oil lamps on pottery, as well as a review of literary sources. This paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the cultural, social, and artistic dimensions of lamp use in ancient Greek society, shedding light on how these lamps served as both functional tools and symbolic markers within the society that produced them.
The study has yielded significant findings regarding the uses of oil lamps as indicated by literary sources and those depicted on pottery. It has been found that they were used for both indoor and outdoor lighting purposes and were employed to assist in various activities in daily life. Additionally, they were used for hair removal alongside their important symbolic roles. The study has also identified the shapes of oil lamps depicted in these scenes and how they were used or their role in the depicted scenarios.