E03504: Greek dedicatory inscription on a bronze lamp-holder (polycandelon), recording its offering to a church of *John (probably either the Baptist, S00020, or the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042). Provenance unknown, probably Palestine, Syria, or Arabia. Probably 6th-7th c.

In 2014 Davide Bianchi published two bronze lamp-holders (polycandela) of unknown provenance, housed in the Archaeological Museum of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum (SBF) in Jerusalem. According to the editor it is not known how and when the Museum came into possession of these objects.

Polycandelon 1 (diameter 0.28 m; weight 1.071 kg) is a bronze ring with six slots for lamps. It is fitted with three loops for attaching chains and a hook. The inscription is punched, and runs on the upper surface of the ring, divided by lamp-slots.

Inscription:

+ Πελαγία εὐξαμένι τὶν εὐχὶν ἀπέδοκεν + τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰωάν<ν>ου

ἀπέδοκεν Feissel based on the drawing, ἀπέδοχεν Bianchi

'+ Pelagia, having sworn a vow, fulfilled it. + Of Saint John.'

Text: Bianchi 2014, 360, with a lightly altered reading by D. Feissel in BE (2016), 531.

Polycandelon 2 (diameter 0.235 m; weight 0.892 kg) consists of two rings connected by six slots for lamps and three spikes, to which three chains are connected by loops. It was likewise hung by a hook. The upper surface is flat and decorated with numerous concentric circles. It bears no inscription.