Terracotta moulds from Elephantine (Upper Egypt) for the manufacture of lamps and ampullae, with Greek inscriptions naming *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030), *Theodore (probably the soldier and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita, *S00480), and *Onnophrios (Egyptian anchorite, 4th c., S00055), with a further mould for a saint whose name is lost. 5th–7th c.
Evidence ID
E00112
Type of Evidence
Inscriptions - Inscribed objects
Images and objects - Lamps, ampullae and tokens
Five terracotta inscribed moulds from Elephantine
All the inscriptions are in mirror writing:
1. (Ballet and Mahmoud 1987, no. 2) Mould for the upper face of a lamp, with inscription around a stylised Greek cross (SEG 37.1626):
τοῦ ἁγίου [Στ]έφανος
'of saint Stephen'
2. (Ballet and Mahmoud 1987, no. 3) Mould for the upper face of a lamp, with inscription around a stylised Greek cross (SEG 37.1625):
ὁ ἅγιος ἄπα Στέφανος
'saint Apa Stephen'
3) (Ballet and Mahmoud 1987, no. 9) Very partial fragment of a mould for a flask/ampulla, with a circular band of stylised flowers and an inscription in a further band around the edge (SEG 37.1631):
[- -]ας ἔνδοξον Θεόδο[ρον - -]
'… honoured Theodoros …'
4) (Ballet and Mahmoud 1987, no. 10) Fragmentary mould for a flask/ampulla, with inscription in a circular band around a Greek cross, and with an outer band decorated with stylised flowers (SEG 37.1632):
τοῦ ἁγ[ίου] Ὀ̣νόφριος
'of saint Onophrios'
5) (Ballet and Mahmoud 1987, no. 8): Fragment (including the spout) from a mould for a flask/ampulla, with an inscription in a circular band around the belly, set within a band of stylised flowers. The saint’s name is lost (SEG 37.1630):
τοῦ ἁγ̣[ίου - -]
'of saint …'
Translation: Gesa Schenke.
Cult Related ObjectsOil lamps/candles
Oil lamps/candles
Other
Source
These moulds were discovered in January 1911 during the excavation of a room in the south part of the portico of the temple of Chnoum (Khnum), the Egyptian god and divine potter who created mankind out of clay. This area was apparently used in late antiquity as a workshop producing lamps, ampullae and small figurines (for which moulds were also discovered). Some of the lamp- and ampullae-moulds discovered have no inscriptions, and others bear Christian inscriptions with no reference to saints; but there are also the moulds presented here, that are specifically related to saints. All the moulds discovered in 1911 are stylistically very similar (as can be seen in the attached images) and so almost certainly contemporary, but it is currently not possible to be more precise about their date of manufacture other than to say this was within the 5th to 7th centuries.The region around Aswan, which includes Elephantine, was a major centre for the production of late Roman tablewares in slip-ware, these moulds attesting to one branch of production: the manufacturing of small lamps, ampullae and figurines.
All the moulds are now in the Coptic Museum in Cairo.
The size of each mould (or mould fragment), as well as its museum inventory number and SEG number is as follows:
1 (Ballet and Mahmoud 1987, no. 2). Dimensions: L. 94 mm; W. 75 mm; Th. 28 mm. Museum inv. no. 10012/ 68700. SEG 37.1626.
2 (Ballet and Mahmoud 1987, no. 3). Dimensions: L. 94 mm; W. 73 mm; Th. 23 mm. Museum inv. no. 10123/68701. SEG 37.1625.
3. (Ballet and Mahmoud 1987, no. 9). Dimensions: L. 131 mm; H. 77 mm; Th. 40 mm. Original diameter c.160 mm. Museum inv. no. 10028/68710. SEG 37.1631.
4. (Ballet and Mahmoud 1987, no. 9). Dimensions: L. 150 mm; H. 133 mm; Th. 34 mm. Original diameter c.155 mm. Museum inv. no. 10030/68709. SEG 37.1632.
5. (Ballet and Mahmoud 1987, no. 8). Dimensions: L. 132 mm; W. 138 mm; Th. 55 mm. Original diameter c.250-260 mm.Museum inv. no. 10124/68713. SEG 37.1630.
Discussion
As high-quality items of small size, made in a renowned pottery-making region, these lamps could have been manufactured for shrines at some distance from Elephantine; so they are not solid evidence of local cult of the saints they commemorate. The ampoullae were presumably designed to hold holy oil from the relevant shrine; it is less clear whether the lamps served a ritual function.Moulds 1 and 2 are to Stephen, a saint universally venerated across the Christian world, particularly after the discovery of his body in Palestine in 415. For the papyrological and epigraphic evidence for the cult of Stephen in Egypt, see Papaconstantinou 2001, 194-195.
Mould 3 to a Saint Theodo ... is probably to Theodore (soldier and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita, S00480), who is the best attested saint with a name beginning with these letters. But other saints named Theodoros or Theodosios are possible: Ballet and Mahmoud favour Theodoros 'the Sanctified', a pupil of Pachomios (S01362). For the extensive papyrological and epigraphic evidence for the cult in Egypt of Theodore of Amaseia and Euchaita, see Papaconstantinou 2001, 96-100.
Mould 4 to an 'Onophrios' is presumably to Onnophrios (fourth-century ascetic of the Sketis in Lower Egypt, S00055), whose cult is attested widely, including in Upper Egypt (see Papaconstantinou 2001, 161-162).
Bibliography
Edition:Ballet, P., and Mahmoud, F., “Moules en terre cuite d’Éléphantine (Musée copte). Nouvelles données sur les ateliers de la région d’Assouan à l’époque byzantine et aux premiers temps de l’occupation arabe,” Bulletin de l’Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale 87 (1987), 53-72.
Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum (SEG) 37 (1982), 1624–1632.
Further reading:
Loverdou-Tsigarida, K., “Ἐνεπίγραφοι κοπτικοὶ λύχνοι τοῦ Μουσείου Μπενάκη,” Δελτίον τῆς χριστιανικῆς ἀρχαιολογικῆς ἑταιρείας (1970-1972), 130-145.
Papaconstantinou, A., Le culte des saints en Égypte des Byzantins aux Abbassides (Paris: CNRS, 2001).
Images
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Mould for lamp to Stephen, front and back (Ballet & Mahmoud no. 2; plate IX)
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Mould for lamp to Stephen (Ballet & Mahmoud no. 3; plate IX)
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Mould for lamp to Theodore (Ballet & Mahmoud no. 9; plate XII)
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Mould for lamp to Onnophrios (Ballet & Mahmoud no. 10; plate XII)
)
Mould for an ampulla to a saint whose name is lost (Ballet & Mahmoud no. 8; plate XI)
Record Created By
Gesa Schenke, Małgorzata Krawczyk
Date of Entry
26/07/2019
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | horite | Ὀ̣νόφριος | Uncertain | S00030 | Stephen, the First Martyr | ἄπα Στέφανος | Certain | S00480 | Theodore, soldier and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita | Θεόδωρος | Certain |
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Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Gesa Schenke, Małgorzata Krawczyk, Cult of Saints, E00112 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E00112