A highly decorated bronze lamp unearthed near Cortona, Italy, has long puzzled archaeologists. A new study published in De Gruyter’s Etruscan and Italic Studies sheds new light on this enigmatic object, revealing a surprising age and a deeper meaning behind its elaborate iconography.
Discovered in 1840, the Cortona lamp has been a topic of debate for over a century. This large, chandelier-like lamp, crafted from bronze, boasts intricate decorations and an impressive size – measuring roughly 60 centimeters across and weighing nearly 60 kilograms. Created by the Etruscan civilization, it originates from Archaic Etruria, a region in central Italy flourishing between 900 BCE and 400 BCE before its gradual absorption by the Roman Republic.
Two key factors have hindered a definitive explanation of the lamp’s purpose and meaning. Firstly, a scarcity of similar artifacts in Etruscan or Greek art makes comparisons challenging. Secondly, the lamp’s discovery lacked context – found alone with an unrelated inscribed plaque dating much later. Without knowledge of its original location or surrounding artifacts, scholars were limited to analyzing the lamp’s individual decorative elements.
However, a new study by Ph.D. student Ronak Alburz and Associate Professor Gijs Willem Tol of the University of Melbourne, Australia, offers a compelling re-evaluation. By meticulously examining literary sources and identifying previously overlooked visual parallels (“comparanda”), they propose a significantly earlier date for the lamp – around 480 BCE.
More importantly, the study challenges a long-held belief about the lamp’s central figures. Previously interpreted as depictions of Acheloos, a Greek river god, Alburz and Tol argue for a different identity – Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and revelry. Through a combination of literary references and fresh iconographic evidence, they demonstrate that Dionysus was sometimes depicted with bull-like features. Based on this reinterpretation, they propose that the lamp portrays the “Dionysian thiasus,” a group of ecstatic followers associated with the god, often depicted as intoxicated revelers.
“Our analysis suggests the lamp was likely used in connection with the mystery cult of Dionysus,” explains Alburz, the lead author. “The elaborate decorations depict the Dionysian thiasus, possibly engaged in a ritualistic performance, celebrating Dionysus within the framework of these mystery cults.”
This new study offers a groundbreaking perspective on the Cortona lamp. By pinpointing an earlier origin and revealing a deeper meaning behind its imagery, Alburz and Tol’s work provides valuable insights into the artistic expression and potentially the religious practices of the Etruscan civilization.