184 Field Museum of Natural History — Anth., Vol. VII. 



pieces. About half way up the sides of the frame are two small eyelets 

 the purpose of which is uncertain. It has been suggested 1 that one 

 was intended to hold the extinguisher, the other a pick. The hollow 

 underside of the top of the frame 2 enclosed the upper edge of the cylinder. 

 The material of which this consisted was probably horn ; at least traces 

 of that substance have been found in the Berlin lantern which comes 

 from another villa near Boscoreale, 3 and in a lantern from Pompeii. 4 

 That bladders were used for the same purpose we know from Martial 

 (xiv, 62). 5 



The dome-like cover, which, when the lantern is closed, rests on the 

 upper ring of the frame, is ornamented with bands of encircling grooves. 

 In it are two pairs of vents, the members of which are placed opposite 

 each other, one pair consisting of triangular holes, the other of two 

 three-quarter circles each, the flat sides facing each other. In the top 

 there is a ring and staple, by means of which the cover could be connected 

 with the handle, while at either side there is also a ring and staple 

 through which pass the braided side-chains connecting handle and frame. 



The handle is formed of two separate flat bars, the upper bar having 

 a loop, a conventionalized bird's neck, and a knob at each end, the lower 

 turning downward at the ends, to which are attached by means of rings 

 the above mentioned side-chains. Both bars play freely on a stem, 

 which by means of a short chain and a hook could be connected with the 

 ring in the top of the cover. 



As ordinarily carried, the lantern was probably held by the upper 

 bar only. Owing to the free play of the bars on the stem the frame 

 would remain steady even when the hand turned to and fro. 6 When 

 there was no wind the lantern could be hung with the lid raised, in which 

 arrangement more light would be cast, and the smoke could escape more 

 freely. In this case also the lantern would be suspended from the upper 

 bar and would appear in distended form. When the lantern was held 

 by means of both handles there was no play on the stem, the cover was 

 down and might be hooked or unhooked indifferently. 



The lamp is composed of a broad band tapering toward the top and 

 ornamented in the lower part with shallow encircling grooves, and a 

 basis, to which it is fastened, consisting of a heavy lead ring encased in 

 bronze and covered across the top with a sheet of bronze which serves 



1 Pernice, Jahrb. XV (1900), Am. p. 192. However, neither eyelet seems well adapted to hold the 

 handle of an extinguisher. 



2 The uprights contract at the place of junction with the upper part of the frame, but thicken 

 again above, where they form short stubs with eyelets and ornamental notches. 



* Cf. Pernice, loc. cit. 

 t Ibid. 



6 Pasqui, op. cit. says (col. 500), though without quoting any authority, that isinglass {lapis 

 specularis. Ital. talco) was also employed. 



• So Pernice, loc. cit. 



