Bronze chandeliers from Vipota (Slovenia) and the decline of the churches of Celeia

Bronze chandeliers and candlesticks represent one of the crucial elements of lighting in churches from the late Roman period onwards. Both forms of ecclesiastical lighting equipment have been found as a hoard of bronze objects at the late antique hilltop settlement Vipota in present-day Slovenia. The hoard consists of at least 6, maybe even 7 Christograms, their parts and other bronze objects. All objects are dated in the Late Roman period, more precisely in the second half of the 4th century. The analogies are not numerous, some similar objects are known from the northern Italian area and some from Pannonia - all of them as isolated finds. This hoard probably represents a treasure of the early Christian churches from Celeia, a Roman town, situated only 3 km from Vipota. The town was - together with churches - destroyed by the middle of the 5th century by the latest

Ancient history · Antique · Archaeology · Art · Bronze · Bronze Age · Geography · Hoard · Treasure · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Historical and Architectural Studies · History