Una excepcional lucerna de bronce con decoración de máscara teatral de Complutum (Alcalá de Henares)

Abstract

We present an exceptional bronze plastic lucerne. The archaeological context from the piece corresponds to a remarkable domus of the Roman city of Complutum that has been dated to the ist century ad; however, it has been observed that several of its rooms had been reused for metallurgical production from the iiird century ad onwards. The analysis of the piece has allowed us to define it as a good quality leaded bronze plastic lucerna that has the representation of a theatrical mask, specifically of the ‘ready slave’ of the New Comedy, whose image is traced in other Roman productions. Through the study of this object, the difficulties of the archaeological discipline in establishing universally recognised typologies for bronze skylights are confirmed; however, it is concluded that it is possible to detect their typological link with types described for the Bay of Naples workshops. It is an exceptional object with few parallels documented in the Roman world. Its manufacture seems to correspond to a moment located throughout the ist century or the beginning of the iind century ad; in spite of this, its use must have continued until near the end of the ivth century ad. Everything seems to indicate this is a probable italic production.