The social and economic impact of artificial light at Pompeii
The evidence presented in this thesis is used to test the hypothesis that a reliable and affordable supply of light fuel and lighting equipment was a major constituent in Roman urban living. Archaeological evidence and ancient literary sources are utilised in order to explore the social and economic activities which consumed artificial light, and evaluate how these nocturnal acts influenced and modified human interactions with each other, and with the physical environment. The consumption of artificial light from c. 300 BCE to 79 CE is investigated, and its influence on the socioâcultural aspects of human activity and the role it played in the daily lives of the inhabitants of ancient Pompeii are evaluated. The burial of Pompeii in 79 CE by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius resulted in a unique assemblage of lighting equipment, abandoned in many structures as the inhabitants fled. Through the analysis of the Pompeii 79 CE material, I have modelled light fuel consumption for the entire city, and the results demonstrate that large quantities of olive oil were consumed in the provision of artificial light. A clear chronological increase in the development and growth for the use of artificial light at Pompeii is
Griffiths, David Gareth
The social and economic impact of artificial light at Pompeii. The evidence presented in this thesis is used to test the hypothesis that a reliable and affordable supply of light fuel and lighting equipment was a major constituent in Roman urban living. Archaeological evidence and ancient literary sources are utilised in order to explore the social and economic activities which consumed artificial light, and evaluate how these nocturnal acts influenced and modified human interactions with each other, and with the physical environment. The consumption of artificial light from c. 300 BCE to 79 CE is investigated, and its influence on the socioâcultural aspects of human activity and the role it played in the daily lives of the inhabitants of ancient Pompeii are evaluated. The burial of Pompeii in 79 CE by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius resulted in a unique assemblage of lighting equipment, abandoned in many structures as the inhabitants fled. Through the analysis of the Pompeii 79 CE material, I have modelled light fuel consumption for the entire city, and the results demonstrate that large quantities of olive oil were consumed in the provision of artificial light. A clear chronological increase in the development and growth for the use of artificial light at Pompeii is
social_economic impact artificial_light pompeii evidence_present used test_hypothesis reliable supply light fuel light equipment major constituent roman urban living archaeological_evidence ancient_literary source utilised order_explore social_economic activity consume artificial_light evaluate act influence modified human_interaction physical_environment consumption artificial_light investigate influence socio_cultural aspect human_activity role_play daily live inhabitant ancient pompeii evaluate burial pompeii eruption mount result unique assemblage light equipment abandon many structure inhabitant flee analysis pompeii material model light fuel consumption entire city large_quantity oil consume provision artificial_light clear chronological increase development growth use artificial_light pompeii