THE ROLE OF CHURCHES IN BYZANTINE-EARLY ISLAMIC PERIOD LAMP PRODUCTION IN THE HOLY LAND

This paper presents the most updated archaeological data regarding terracotta oil lamp production during the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods in the Holy Land. These oil lamps have already been well defined in terms of typology, iconography, epigraphy, and distribution. A significant lack of excavated workshops has left production studies ambiguous. In this study, moulds for lamp production serve as the primary indictor for identifying the missing lamp workshops. The majority of the relevant moulds have been found at church or monastic sites, suggesting that lamp production during these periods can be connected internally to these religious centers.