Rądkowska, Joanna K.; Sidebotham, Steven E.; Zych, Iwona(Centrum Archeologii Śródziemnomorskiej Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, 2013)
Excavations in 2010 in the southwestern harbor at Berenike documented two distinct
structures. One built of white gypsum/anhydrite ashlars was the earlier of the two. The later one,
with walls composed mainly of extinct coral heads, but incorporating portions of the earlier ashlar
structure, lay immediately southeast of the former. The later edifice, and the focus of this article,
dated to the 4th and 5th centuries AD and clearly had a religious function. Excavations documented
two major phases of this shrine and suggested that multiple creeds were venerated here, including
one perhaps of South Arabian origin. Along with numerous cult objects made of metal, stone,
terracotta, ostrich eggs and cowry shells there was ample floral and faunal evidence for offerings made or consumed by devotees....
Krogulska, Maria; Zych, Iwona(Centrum Archeologii Śródziemnomorskiej Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, 2013)
Lanterns are not as commonly represented in published collections of finds from archaeological
contexts as could be expected compared to regular oil lamps. These sherds of wheelmade
pottery from Polish excavations on Bijan Island on the Euphrates were only recently identified as
a lantern in the shape of a kind of naiskos with a zoomorphic figurine above the opening. The article
discusses the function of such lanterns, mundane objects providing light in the darkness, but at the
same time exemplifying the apotropaic character of the flame in domestic shrine contexts....