14.04.2014 Views

EPHEMERIS NAPOCENSIS - Institutul de Arheologie şi Istoria Artei

EPHEMERIS NAPOCENSIS - Institutul de Arheologie şi Istoria Artei

EPHEMERIS NAPOCENSIS - Institutul de Arheologie şi Istoria Artei

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

<strong>EPHEMERIS</strong> <strong>NAPOCENSIS</strong><br />

XXII<br />

2012


ROMANIAN ACADEMY<br />

INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF ART CLUJ-NAPOCA<br />

EDITORIAL BOARD<br />

Editor: Coriolan Horaţiu Opreanu<br />

Members: Sorin Cociş, Vlad-Andrei Lăzărescu, Ioan Stanciu<br />

ADVISORY BOARD<br />

Alexandru Avram (Le Mans, France); Mihai Bărbulescu (Rome, Italy); Alexan<strong>de</strong>r Bursche (Warsaw,<br />

Poland); Falko Daim (Mainz, Germany); Andreas Lippert (Vienna, Austria); Bernd Päffgen (Munich,<br />

Germany); Marius Porumb (Cluj-Napoca, Romania); Alexan<strong>de</strong>r Rubel (Iași, Romania); Peter Scherrer<br />

(Graz, Austria); Alexandru Vulpe (Bucharest, Romania).<br />

Responsible of the volume: Ioan Stanciu<br />

În ţară revista se poate procura prin poştă, pe bază <strong>de</strong> abonament la: EDITURA ACADEMIEI<br />

ROMÂNE, Calea 13 Septembrie nr. 13, sector 5, P. O. Box 5–42, Bucureşti, România, RO–76117,<br />

Tel. 021–411.90.08, 021–410.32.00; fax. 021–410.39.83; RODIPET SA, Piaţa Presei Libere nr. 1,<br />

Sector 1, P. O. Box 33–57, Fax 021–222.64.07. Tel. 021–618.51.03, 021–222.41.26, Bucureşti,<br />

România; ORION PRESS IMPEX 2000, P. O. Box 77–19, Bucureşti 3 – România, Tel. 021–301.87.86,<br />

021–335.02.96.<br />

<strong>EPHEMERIS</strong> <strong>NAPOCENSIS</strong><br />

Any correspon<strong>de</strong>nce will be sent to the editor:<br />

INSTITUTUL DE ARHEOLOGIE ŞI ISTORIA ARTEI<br />

Str. M. Kogălniceanu nr. 12–14, 400084 Cluj‐Napoca, RO<br />

e-mail: choprean@yahoo.com<br />

All responsability for the content, interpretations and opinions<br />

expressed in the volume belongs exclusively to the authors.<br />

DTP and print: MEGA PRINT<br />

Cover: Roxana Sfârlea<br />

© 2012 EDITURA ACADEMIEI ROMÂNE<br />

Calea 13 Septembrie nr. 13, Sector 5, Bucureşti 76117<br />

Telefon 021–410.38.46; 021–410.32.00/2107, 2119


ACADEMIA ROMÂNĂ<br />

INSTITUTUL DE ARHEOLOGIE ŞI ISTORIA ARTEI<br />

<strong>EPHEMERIS</strong><br />

<strong>NAPOCENSIS</strong><br />

XXII<br />

2012<br />

EDITURA ACADEMIEI ROMÂNE


SOMMAIRE – CONTENTS – INHALT<br />

STUDIES<br />

FLORIN GOGÂLTAN<br />

Ritual Aspects of the Bronze Age Tell-Settlements in the Carpathian Basin.<br />

A Methodological Approach .............................................7<br />

ALEXANDRA GĂVAN<br />

Metallurgy and Bronze Age Tell-Settlements from Western Romania (I) ............57<br />

DÁVID PETRUŢ<br />

Everyday Life in the Research Concerning the Roman Army in the Western European<br />

Part of the Empire and the Province of Dacia .................................91<br />

CORIOLAN HORAŢIU OPREANU<br />

From “στρατόπεδον” to Colonia Dacica Sarmizegetusa. A File of the Problem ........113<br />

CĂLIN COSMA<br />

Ethnische und politische Gegebenheiten im Westen und Nordwesten Rumäniens<br />

im 8.–10. Jh. n.Chr. ...................................................137<br />

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND EPIGRAPHICAL NOTES<br />

AUREL RUSTOIU<br />

Commentaria Archaeologica et Historica (I) .................................159<br />

VITALIE BÂRCĂ<br />

Some Remarks on Metal Cups with Zoomorphic Handles<br />

in the Sarmatian Environment ............................................185<br />

FLORIN FODOREAN<br />

“Spa” Vignettes in Tabula Peutingeriana. Travelling Ad Aquas: thermal Water Resources<br />

in Roman Dacia .......................................................211<br />

DAN AUGUSTIN DEAC<br />

Note on Apis Bull Representations in Roman Dacia ...........................223<br />

SILVIA MUSTAŢĂ, SORIN COCIŞ, VALENTIN VOIŞIAN<br />

Instrumentum Balnei from Roman Napoca. Two Iron Vessels Discovered on the Site<br />

from Victor Deleu Street ................................................235<br />

IOAN STANCIU<br />

About the Use of the So-Called Clay “Breadcakes” in the Milieu of the Early Slav<br />

Settlements (6 th –7 th Centuries) ............................................253


DAN BĂCUEŢ-CRIŞAN<br />

Contributions to the Study of Elites and Power Centers in Transylvania during the second<br />

Half of the 9 th – first Half of the 10 th Centuries. Proposal of I<strong>de</strong>ntification Criteria Based<br />

on archaeological Discoveries .............................................279<br />

ADRIANA ISAC, ERWIN GÁLL, SZILÁRD GÁL<br />

A 12 th Century Cemetery Fragment from Gilău (Cluj County) (Germ.: Julmarkt;<br />

Hung.: Gyalu) ........................................................301<br />

ADRIAN ANDREI RUSU<br />

Stove Tiles with the Royal Coat of Arms of King Matthias I Corvinus ..............313<br />

REVIEWS<br />

IULIAN MOGA, Culte solare şi lunare în Asia Mică în timpul Principatului/Solar and Lunar Cults in<br />

Asia Minor in the Age of the Principate, Editura Universităţii “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Iaşi (Iaşi<br />

2011), 752 p. (Szabó Csaba) .............................................327<br />

DAN GH. TEODOR, Un centru meşteşugăresc din evul mediu timpuriu. Cercetările arheologice <strong>de</strong> la<br />

Lozna-Botoşani/An Artisan centre from the Early Middle Ages. The archaeological research from<br />

Lozna-Botoşani, Bibliotheca Archaeologica Moldaviae XV, Aca<strong>de</strong>mia Română – Filiala Iaşi,<br />

<strong>Institutul</strong> <strong>de</strong> <strong>Arheologie</strong>, Editura Istros (Brăila 2011), 200 p. (including 118 figures), abstract<br />

and list of figures in French (Ioan Stanciu) ...................................331<br />

CĂLIN COSMA, Funerary Pottery in Transylvania of the 7 th –10 th Centuries, Series Ethnic and<br />

Cultural Interferences in the 1 st Millenium B.C. to the 1 st Millenium AD. 18, Romanian<br />

Aca<strong>de</strong>my – Institute of Archaeology and Art History Cluj‐Napoca, Mega Publishing House<br />

(Cluj-Napoca 2011), 183 p., 49 plates (Aurel Dragotă) .........................339<br />

RESEARCH PROJECTS<br />

Crossing the Boundaries. Remo<strong>de</strong>ling Cultural I<strong>de</strong>ntities at the End of Antiquity in Central and Eastern<br />

Europe. A Case Study (Coriolan H. Oprean, Vlad-Andrei Lăzărescu) ...............343<br />

Warriors and military retainers in Transylvania of the 7 th –9 th centuries (Călin Cosma) .........349<br />

Seeing the Unseen. Landscape Archaeology on the Northern Frontier of the Roman Empire at Porolissvm<br />

(Romania) (Coriolan H. Oprean, Vlad-Andrei Lăzărescu) .......................352<br />

Abbreviations that can not be found in Bericht <strong>de</strong>r Römisch-Germanische Kommission .....363<br />

Gui<strong>de</strong>lines for “Ephemeris Napocensis” .........................................366


Silvia Mustaţă, Sorin Cociş, Valentin Voişian<br />

INSTRUMENTUM BALNEI FROM ROMAN NAPOCA.<br />

TWO IRON VESSELS DISCOVERED ON THE SITE<br />

FROM VICTOR DELEU STREET *<br />

Silvia Mustaţă 1 , Sorin Cociş 2 , Valentin Voişian 3<br />

Abstract: The two iron toilette vessels analysed in this article were discovered in Cluj‐Napoca during<br />

the rescue excavations carried out on Victor Deleu Street between 1992 and 2001. Both of them correspond<br />

from a stratigraphic viewpoint to the second stone phase of the two buildings researched on the site<br />

which belonged to the resi<strong>de</strong>ntial area of the Roman town. Taking into account the context of discovery,<br />

they were <strong>de</strong>finitely in use in Napoca during the first three quarters of the 3 rd century AD. Due to<br />

the rarity of such objects at the scale of the Roman Empire, the analysis focuses on the technical aspects<br />

that the manufacturing process of such items implies (employing X-ray photography), on the parallels<br />

from the rest of the Roman world and on the possible prototypes which might have influenced the <strong>de</strong>velopment<br />

of such shapes in iron.<br />

Keywords: Napoca, iron vessels, instrumentum balnei, technology, prototypes<br />

During archaeological research carried out in Cluj‐Napoca, Victor Deleu Street, two<br />

iron vessels were discovered which will be the subject of the present article. The vessels are<br />

unique in Roman Dacia and represent remarkable finds at the level of the Roman Empire.<br />

The analysis will focus on the technical aspects that the objects imply as well as on parallels and<br />

possible prototypes.<br />

The site<br />

The archaeological rescue excavations un<strong>de</strong>rtaken more or less continuously in Cluj‐Napoca,<br />

Victor Deleu Street (Pl. I/1) between the years 1992 and 2001 revealed important information<br />

about the evolution of the ancient town of Napoca 4 . Besi<strong>de</strong>s the medieval and mo<strong>de</strong>rn habitation<br />

*<br />

A preliminary version of this paper was published in Instrumentum. Bulletin du Groupe <strong>de</strong> travail européen sur<br />

l’artisanat et les productions manufacturées dans l’Antiquité (see: MUSTAȚĂ ET ALII 2012). The authors would like<br />

to express their gratitu<strong>de</strong> towards dr. Cosmin Onofrei and resi<strong>de</strong>nt Dan Duma for their help in X-raying the objects<br />

and towards dr. Mariana Egri and Szilamér Péter Pánczél for the useful discussions referring to the prototypes.<br />

1<br />

“Babeş-Bolyai” University, Cluj‐Napoca, RO; e-mail: silvia_mustata@yahoo.com.<br />

2<br />

Institute of Archaeology and Art History Cluj‐Napoca, Romanian Aca<strong>de</strong>my Cluj Branch, M. Kogălniceanu<br />

str. 12–14, 400084, Cluj‐Napoca, Cluj county, RO; e-mail: scocis@yahoo.com.<br />

3<br />

National Museum of Transylvanian History, Constantin Daicoviciu str. 2, 400020, Cluj‐Napoca, RO;<br />

e-mail: vvoisian@yahoo.com.<br />

4<br />

For the preliminary excavation reports see: COCIŞ ET AL. 1995; COCIŞ ET AL. 1996; COCIŞ ET AL.<br />

1997; COCIŞ ET AL. 1998; COCIŞ ET AL. 1999; COCIŞ ET AL. 2002. See also: RUSU-BOLINDEŢ 2007,<br />

97–98; GĂZDAC ET AL. 2010, 7–8.<br />

Ephemeris Napocensis, XXII, 2012, p. 235–251


236 Silvia Mustaţă, Sorin Cociş, Valentin Voişian<br />

(11 th –12 th , 14 th –15 th and 17 th –18 th centuries), parts of a resi<strong>de</strong>ntial area of the Roman town were<br />

unearthed. The stratigraphy of the Roman period shows a continuous inhabitation of the site<br />

from the time of Trajan till the abandonment of the province. Three timber and two stone phases<br />

were i<strong>de</strong>ntified, corresponding to the following activities: the establishment of the first colonist<br />

groups coming, based on the archaeological material, from Noricum and Pannonia (1 st timber<br />

phase: Trajan), timber structures – the vicus phase (2 nd timber phase: Trajan–Hadrian), two aligned<br />

timber buildings proving the existence of a street pattern – the municipal phase (3 rd timber phase:<br />

Hadrian–Antoninus Pius), the construction of two stone houses, named conventionally C1 and<br />

C2 (1 st stone phase: middle of the 2 nd century–Septimius Severus) and the partial renewal of the<br />

buildings (2 nd stone phase: Septimius Severus–the abandonment of the province) 5 . Each stone<br />

phase was once repaired during its existence and for the 2 nd phase of building C2 6 this moment<br />

can be very well placed in time: in room b two floors were i<strong>de</strong>ntified, divi<strong>de</strong>d by a <strong>de</strong>struction<br />

layer containing a lot of burning traces. The first floor was broken and a monetary hoard, namely<br />

a pottery vessel with lid, filled with 1268 silver <strong>de</strong>narii ending at Severus Alexan<strong>de</strong>r, was hid<strong>de</strong>n<br />

un<strong>de</strong>r it 7 . On the new floor, built on top of the <strong>de</strong>struction layer, two coins from Philippus Arabs<br />

were discovered 8 . It has been suggested that the hiding of the monetary hoard and the <strong>de</strong>structions<br />

suffered by this part of the Roman town could be framed in a general phenomenon which affected<br />

Roman Napoca in the 3 rd century AD, namely the conflicts between emperor Maximinus Thrax<br />

and barbarians from the north 9 , theory which will have to be confirmed in the future by new field<br />

research insi<strong>de</strong> the ancient town 10 .<br />

Even if most of the information regarding the site is still forthcoming, important<br />

categories of archaeological material have already been analysed in separate studies: the<br />

brooches 11 , the coins 12 , a votive altar 13 , the pottery 14 , the above mentioned monetary hoard<br />

as well as the finds belonging to the early medieval period 15 .<br />

The vessels<br />

The first vessel (Pl. III/1, V/1, 2a–c) (National History Museum of Transylvania,<br />

Cluj‐Napoca, without inventory no. ) was i<strong>de</strong>ntified in house C1, in the western profile, in a<br />

layer related to the last occupation sub phase belonging to the 2 nd stone phase of the building<br />

(Pl. II), dated roughly from the middle of the 3 rd century to the time of the abandonment of<br />

the province 16 . The object, flask-shaped with a narrow neck and a strongly arched spherical<br />

body, is partially preserved: part of the fastening system of the lid is missing as well as part<br />

of the base and the two small handles which should have been, theoretically, attached un<strong>de</strong>r<br />

the rim. It has the following dimensions: H: 92.7 mm; maximum body D: 89.2 mm; rim<br />

D: 30.3: base D; 56.9 mm and it weighs 249 g. The manufacture material is iron with the<br />

5<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 1995; RUSU-BOLINDEŢ 2007, 98; OPREANU 2009, 393.<br />

6<br />

The construction works from Deleu Street began in 1991 without a proper archaeological survey and an<br />

important part of the upper Roman layers, especially in the area of building C1, were <strong>de</strong>stroyed. For this reason only<br />

in the case of building C2 it was possible to collect more <strong>de</strong>tailed stratigraphic data (See: COCIŞ ET AL. 1995, 637).<br />

7<br />

For the monographic publication of the hoard see: GĂZDAC ET AL. 2010.<br />

8<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 1995, 638.<br />

9<br />

OPREANU 2009, 134.<br />

10<br />

See GĂZDAC ET AL. 2010, 15.<br />

11<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 2001.<br />

12<br />

GĂZDAC ET AL. 2003.<br />

13<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 2004.<br />

14<br />

RUSU-BOLINDEŢ 2007.<br />

15<br />

ŢIPLIC ET AL. 2004.<br />

16<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 1995, 637–639.


Instrumentum Balnei from Roman Napoca<br />

237<br />

exception of a bronze plate which was set into the rim (Pl. V/1). The bronze plate, representing<br />

the fixed part of the closing system, displays two holes: an oval one positioned near<br />

the rim (D: 9.4–10.7 mm) which allowed the liquid to exit and a small, circular central one<br />

(D: 2.6 mm) which was used for fastening another mobile metal plate (lost today). This in<br />

turn, provi<strong>de</strong>d with two small knobs, displayed a similar opening as the above mentioned oval<br />

one and sealed its counterpart from the set plate by rotation. The vessel was recovered from<br />

the excavation in a bad state of preservation (strongly oxidized, <strong>de</strong>formed body, base broken<br />

from the body and fragmented in three parts) (Pl. 1/2). For this reason during the restoration<br />

process, in or<strong>de</strong>r to ensure its stability, it was covered in some parts with a thick layer of<br />

resin, process which <strong>de</strong>termined important changes from the original shape, especially in the<br />

area of the rim and of the base. In this situation, in or<strong>de</strong>r to reconstruct the original shape<br />

of the vessel as accurately as possible, the technique of X-ray photography was employed<br />

(Pl. IV/1–2). It can be observed very well that the exterior part of the rim was not straight,<br />

but slightly reverted and that the original base had a smaller diameter than the one obtained<br />

after restoration and it was less flared (Pl. IV/2). The X-ray offers also important <strong>de</strong>tails about<br />

the technology employed in the manufacturing process of the vessel: the body was ma<strong>de</strong> from<br />

two hemispherical parts joined in the point of the maximum diameter. The two joining lines<br />

visible in the area of the rim show that this part was worked separately and subsequently<br />

attached to the body; the rim, at its turn, was ma<strong>de</strong> out of two pieces of metal separated by<br />

the bronze plate. It is not certain whether the base was also separately ma<strong>de</strong> or it was part of<br />

the lower hemisphere. Taking into account that it was found broken and reattached during<br />

restoration, this remains for the moment an open question.<br />

The second vessel (Pl. VI/1, VIII/1a–d, IX/1a–d, 2, 3) (National History Museum<br />

of Transylvania, Cluj‐Napoca, without inventory no.) was i<strong>de</strong>ntified in room b, consi<strong>de</strong>red<br />

to be an annex 17 belonging to the 2 nd phase of house C2 (Pl. II). The vessel was found on<br />

the first floor near the place where the monetary hoard was hid<strong>de</strong>n, together with a group of<br />

metal objects: two bronze vessels (a jug of Millingen type and a handle from a Blechkanne),<br />

two bronze candlesticks, a bronze statuette <strong>de</strong>picting a ram and several pieces of bronze sheet<br />

with figural <strong>de</strong>coration 18 . It is not clear whether the objects were intentionally collected and<br />

hid<strong>de</strong>n or they were kept in a woo<strong>de</strong>n chest or cupboard which was abandoned in a time of<br />

danger. Thus, relying on the stratigraphic data, it can be asserted that the vessel was certainly<br />

in use in the first half of the 3 rd century AD. The object ma<strong>de</strong> entirely of iron, was discovered<br />

in a fragmentary state (Pl. IX/2–3), one of the handles was missing and it was reconstructed<br />

during restoration. It presents a vertical rim, a narrow neck and a spherical body. It does not<br />

have a base and the lower part of the body is slightly elongated, ending in a small protuberance.<br />

The original handle, attached below the rim and ending with a leaf shaped appliqué,<br />

still preserves half of a loop which was part of the hanging chain. It displays the following<br />

dimensions: H: 100 mm; maximum body D: 82.8 mm; rim D: 38.9–41.6 mm and it weighs<br />

259 g. The lid seems to present a similar system to the one <strong>de</strong>scribed above: an upper mobile<br />

plate presenting two knobs and a lower, fixed one. Since the vessel was restored it is not<br />

possible anymore to observe the two oval openings that the plates should have had. Still,<br />

based on the information offered by the X-ray (Pl. VII/1–2) it looks like the whole lid system<br />

was worked separately and afterwards fitted insi<strong>de</strong> the rim. Even if not very clear, the X-ray<br />

seems to show a shallow line which could mark the limit between the plates. Concerning the<br />

manufacturing process, besi<strong>de</strong>s the handles and the lid, the body of the vessel was ma<strong>de</strong> from<br />

two different parts, an upper one together with the rim and a lower one, which are joined<br />

above the line of the maximum diameter.<br />

17<br />

OPREANU 2008, 393.<br />

18<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 1995, 637–638.


238 Silvia Mustaţă, Sorin Cociş, Valentin Voişian<br />

Discussion<br />

Despite the common character of the raw material, iron vessels represent exceptional<br />

finds on Roman period sites. This situation was explained in the literature through the nature<br />

of iron, much more exposed to oxidation in comparison with other metals, fact which <strong>de</strong>termined<br />

the preservation of a smaller number of objects, but also through the lack of interest<br />

shown by the specialists for this kind of finds 19 . To this, one may add the technical difficulties<br />

that the craftsman might have encountered when trying to forge iron in or<strong>de</strong>r to manufacture<br />

objects of such small dimensions, since it was not possible to cast it.<br />

There can be distinguished three main categories of Roman iron vessels, ma<strong>de</strong> totally<br />

of iron or combining iron with parts ma<strong>de</strong> of cooper alloys, dated generally between the 2 nd and 4 th<br />

centuries AD. The most numerous group, from the viewpoint of the number of finds, is composed<br />

of iron water jugs 20 . Such vessels were discovered mainly in the Western provinces of the Empire 21<br />

and on the territory of Roman Pannonia 22 . Another category is represented by the iron flasks or<br />

so-called “pilgrim flasks” 23 . The finds belonging to this group are rare. One can mention here<br />

a vessel, ma<strong>de</strong> from two iron halves covered in the superior part with bronze straps, found in<br />

a well, dated to the Antonine period, from the Roman fort at Newstead, Roman Britain 24 and<br />

the iron flask from the <strong>de</strong>posit found in the well from the Roman fort at Rainau Buch (Rainau,<br />

Ba<strong>de</strong>n-Württemberg, Germany) 25 . Another such object was discovered in a 2 nd century grave<br />

from the southern necropolis at Abritvs (Hisarlâk, near Razgrad, Bulgaria). The vessel presents<br />

two appliqués attached on the shoul<strong>de</strong>r which allowed the fastening of the preserved handle 26 .<br />

The Archaeological Museum from Vienne (Rhône-Alpes, France) preserves in its collections a<br />

flask ma<strong>de</strong> of iron, as part of the Gréan Collection, presenting a bronze neck and rim and having<br />

the body partially wrapped by a bronze “belt” 27 . Probably the most interesting example from this<br />

category is represented by a flask discovered in the 19 th century in the river Saône: the vessel, ma<strong>de</strong><br />

also from two iron halves covered by a bronze strap, was inlayed on each si<strong>de</strong> with brass and pure<br />

cooper, forming a <strong>de</strong>licate <strong>de</strong>coration <strong>de</strong>picting a wine leaf with a bunch of grapes 28 .<br />

The third category of Roman iron vessels, in which the two objects from Napoca can<br />

also be inclu<strong>de</strong>d, consists of toilette vessels. Typologically, this kind of vessels can be divi<strong>de</strong>d into<br />

two main types: globular and flask-shaped vessels. Among the globular ones, probably the most<br />

representative is a vessel found also in the river Saône, displaying a globular iron body, two bronze<br />

19<br />

BARATTE 1993, 224.<br />

20<br />

Taking into account the morphology, the Roman iron water jugs represent, up to a certain extent, a version<br />

of the provincial type of bronze Belchkannen, very popular during the 2 nd and 3 rd centuries AD and used for boiling<br />

the water. This functionality is confirmed by the traces of scale discovered insi<strong>de</strong> both iron and bronze objects<br />

(BARATTE 1993, 227; KOSTER 1997, 30 with further bibliography; for the typology of the bronze Blechkannen<br />

see: BOLLA 1979 and BOLLA 1989 with further bibliography).<br />

21<br />

BARATTE 1993, 224–227; KOSTER 1997, 30–41.<br />

22<br />

SZIRMAI 1993: the author analyzes only the funerary finds coming from the Late Roman cemeteries dated<br />

between the second half of the 3 rd century and the second half of the 4 th century AD.<br />

23<br />

For an overview of the main discoveries see: FEUGÈRE 1991, 125–126; KAUFMANN-HEINIMANN<br />

1994, 172–174.<br />

24<br />

CLOSE-BROOKS 1980.<br />

25<br />

PLANCK 1983, 330–331, Abb. 131.<br />

26<br />

IVANOV/STOJANOV 1985, 70, fig. 96: from the published photograph it is not clear the way the handle<br />

was attached to the two appliqués. One can presume that it was either discovered separately in the grave and,<br />

subsequently, attributed to the vessel or the vessel was repaired in Antiquity and a handle, belonging originally to a<br />

different type of vessel, was ad<strong>de</strong>d.<br />

27<br />

BOUCHER 1971, 138, no. 254.<br />

28<br />

BARATTE ET AL. 1984, 110 no. 174, Pl.: LIV/174; LXXIV/174 (see also no. 200: a similar iron flask<br />

having only the inferior part of the body preserved); BONNAMOUR 2000, 41, 127–128, no. 136.


Instrumentum Balnei from Roman Napoca<br />

239<br />

handle appliqués <strong>de</strong>corated with Bacchic masks and a bronze handle 29 . The Royal-Athena Galleries<br />

from New York preserve in their collection an exquisite piece belonging to this category: an iron<br />

globular vessel with bronze base, provi<strong>de</strong>d with two loop shaped appliqués which allowed the<br />

attachment of a massive bronze chain, completely preserved. The most interesting part of the vessel<br />

is represented by the bronze lid: a representation of Venus Anadyomene as a child riding a dolphin 30 .<br />

From the category of iron flask-shaped vessels, the one which resembles the most with the<br />

vessel with base from Napoca (Pl. III/1, V/1, 2a–c) comes from Rottenburg am Neckar (Ba<strong>de</strong>n-<br />

Württemberg, Germany), being generally dated between the 2 nd and the 3 rd century AD. The object<br />

presents the same strongly arched body and in the area of the maximum diameter the joining line<br />

of the two hemispheric parts is still visible. It has two small handles ma<strong>de</strong> of iron attached un<strong>de</strong>r<br />

the rim, each of them preserving the first loop of the bronze hanging chain. The rim is vertical and<br />

it was ma<strong>de</strong> out of bronze or brass 31 . Two other examples were i<strong>de</strong>ntified in funerary contexts from<br />

Pannonia Inferior. The first one was discovered in 1935 at Vajta (Fejér county, Hungary) associated<br />

with a strigilis, in a wagon-grave disturbed by mo<strong>de</strong>rn activities. This vessel shows a very strong<br />

resemblance with the second iron vessel from Napoca (Pl. VI/1, VIII/1a–d, IX/1a–d, 2, 3). It has<br />

a vertical rim covered with a plate of bronze, two small handles attached un<strong>de</strong>r the rim which both<br />

preserve the first loop of a bronze chain, a narrow neck and a spherical body en<strong>de</strong>d in the lower<br />

part with the same small protuberance 32 . The only difference from the vessel discovered at Napoca<br />

is represented by the presence of a ring-shaped base, but if one takes into consi<strong>de</strong>ration the fact<br />

that the lowest point of the body is arched and marked with a knob, it can not be exclu<strong>de</strong>d that<br />

initially the vessel did not have a base and that it was ad<strong>de</strong>d subsequently, during its usage period,<br />

in or<strong>de</strong>r to allow it to remain in a vertical position. The other iron vessel known from Pannonian<br />

contexts comes from the necropolis at Intercisa (Dunaújváros, Fejér county, Hungary), without the<br />

possibility of a closer dating. The object is flask-shaped, with a narrow neck and a reverted rim.<br />

The maximum diameter is located in this case in the lower part of the body 33 .<br />

Taking into account the rarity of such objects and the raw material they were ma<strong>de</strong> of, the<br />

question that arises related to the shape, is whether they represent original items or they imitate<br />

shapes which are common in other categories of material. The morphology presented by the first<br />

vessel from Napoca (Pl. III/1, V/1, 2a–c) can be easily traced, since it has the same characteristics<br />

as a certain type of copper alloy flask-shaped toilette vessel, ma<strong>de</strong>, usually, from two pieces of metal<br />

which are joined above the shoul<strong>de</strong>r, with globular body and narrow neck, typical for the Roman<br />

provinces during the 2 nd and 3 rd centuries AD 34 . An important characteristic of the type is the<br />

closing system of the lid, consisting of, as above mentioned, two plates of metal: a lower one set<br />

into the rim and a mobile upper one. Such system can be observed on some better preserved pieces<br />

like the one from Rainau-Buch 35 or the one from Calvatone (Lombardy, Italy) 36 .<br />

Concerning the second vessel (Pl. VI/1, VIII/1a–d, IX/1a–d, 2, 3), even if it displays<br />

the same lid mechanism, its shape does not show resemblance with other type of vessels ma<strong>de</strong><br />

of metal. At a first glance it can be noticed a similarity with glass toilette vessels belonging to<br />

the type Isings 61 37 , but there are some differences: in our case the rim is not flattened and<br />

29<br />

BARATTE ET AL. 1984, 128–129, no. 199, Pl.: LX/199; LXXVI/199; BONNAMOUR 2000, 41, 131 no. 204.<br />

30<br />

The vessel is offered for sale and can be accessed at the following internet address: http://www.royalathena.<br />

com/pages/RomanCatalog/Bronze/Vessels/GMZ15.html (10.03.2012).<br />

31<br />

SEITZ 2005, 362 Abb. 483.<br />

32<br />

FÜLEP 1949, 41–42, 28. tábla/1–3.<br />

33<br />

RADNÓTI 1957, 191, 218 no. 22, Pl. XXXIX/11; SZIRMAI 1993, 422, 427, Fig. 7/6.<br />

34<br />

SEDLMAYER 1999, 42, Taf. 16/11–14 with an overview of the finds and the bibliography; CASTOLDI<br />

2002, 300–303; BIENERT 2007, 232–233, 237–239, nos.: 271–273.<br />

35<br />

PLANCK 1983, 332 Abb. 134/1.<br />

36<br />

CASTOLDI 2002, 301, fig. 12, 303, fig. 16.<br />

37<br />

ISINGS 1957, 78–80.


240 Silvia Mustaţă, Sorin Cociş, Valentin Voişian<br />

the vessel cannot stay in a vertical position. On the other hand, one cannot help noticing<br />

the similarities, without any other functional implications, between the shape of this iron vessel<br />

and the one displayed by one of the most common olive oil amphorae, namely those belonging<br />

to the type Dressel 20 38 . The similarity is surprising since both the Dressel 20 amphorae and<br />

the iron vessel from Napoca were used for transporting oil, but in totally different contexts.<br />

In conclusion the two iron vessels from Napoca were <strong>de</strong>finitely in use during the first<br />

three quarters of the 3 rd century AD, as suggested by the contexts of discovery. As the parallels<br />

from the rest of the Roman Empire and the prototypes show, they were part of the instrumentum<br />

balnei and were employed for carrying the oil to the baths. There is no reason to presume a<br />

different functionality consi<strong>de</strong>ring the existence of the hanging chains and the fastening system<br />

of the lid which allowed a perfect sealing of the content.<br />

BIBLIOGRAPHY<br />

BARATTE 1993<br />

F. BARATTE, Obsevations complémentaires à propos <strong>de</strong> <strong>de</strong>ux objets en fer du trésor <strong>de</strong> Vienne.<br />

Arch. Korrbl. 23, 1993, 223–229.<br />

BARATTE ET ALII 1984<br />

F. BARATTE/L. BONAMOUR/J.-P. GUILLAUMET/S. TASSINARI, Vases antiques <strong>de</strong> metall<br />

au Musée <strong>de</strong> Chalon-sur-Saône. Rev. Arch. Est et Centre-Est suppl. 5 e (Dijon 1984).<br />

BIENERT 2007<br />

B. BIENERT, Die römischen Bronzegefäße im Rheinischen Lan<strong>de</strong>smuseum Trier [Trierer<br />

Zeitschr. 31] (Trier 2007).<br />

BOLLA 1979<br />

M. BOLLA, Recipienti in bronzo d’età romana in Lombardia. Brocca rinvenuta a Carobbio<br />

<strong>de</strong>gli Angeli. Riv. Arch. Prov. e Ant. Diocesi Como 161, 1979, 23–50, tavv. I–V.<br />

BOLLA 1989<br />

M. BOLLA, “Blechkannen”: aggiornamenti. Rassegna Stud. Civ. Mus. Arch. Milano 43–44,<br />

1989, 95–118, tavv. XLVI–LIX.<br />

BONNAMOUR 2000<br />

L. BONNAMOUR, Archéologie <strong>de</strong> la Saône. 150 ans <strong>de</strong> recherches. Le fleuve gardien <strong>de</strong> la<br />

mémoire (Paris 2000).<br />

BOUCHER 1971<br />

S. BOUCHER, Vienne. Bronzes antiques, Inventaire <strong>de</strong>s Collections Publiques Françaises 17<br />

(Paris 1971).<br />

CASTOLDI 2002<br />

M. CASTOLDI, I recipienti in bronzo in Italia Settentrionale tra III e V secolo d. C.<br />

In: G. Cuscito/M. Verzár-Bass (a cura di), Bronzi di età romana in Cisalpina. Novità e riletture,<br />

Antichità Altoadriatiche 51 (Trieste 2002), 289–308.<br />

CLOSE-BROOKS 1980<br />

J. CLOSE-BROOKS, A Roman iron flask from Newstead. Proc. Soc. Ant. Scotland 109, 1977–<br />

1978 [1980], 372–374.<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 1995<br />

S. COCIŞ/V. VOIŞIAN/A. PAKI/M. ROTEA, Raport preliminar privind cercetările arheologice<br />

din strada Victor Deleu în Cluj‐Napoca I. Campaniile 1992–1994. Acta Mus. Napocensis 32/I,<br />

1995, 635–652.<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 1996<br />

S. COCIŞ/A. PAKI/V. VOIŞIAN, Cluj‐Napoca, jud. Cluj. Strada Victor Deleu. In CCA.<br />

Campania 1995 (Brăila 1996), 35–36.<br />

38<br />

PEACOCK/WILLIAMS 1986, 136, class 25, Fig. 67.


Instrumentum Balnei from Roman Napoca<br />

241<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 1997<br />

S. COCIŞ/V. VOIŞIAN/A. PAKI/ZS. MOLNÁR, Cluj‐Napoca, jud. Cluj. Str. V. Deleu.<br />

In: CCA. Campania 1996 (Bucureşti 1997), 14.<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 1998<br />

S. COCIŞ/V. VOIŞIAN/A. PAKI, Cluj‐Napoca, str. V. Deleu. In: CCA. Campania 1997<br />

(Bucureşti 1998), 17.<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 1999<br />

S. COCIŞ/ZS. MOLNÁR/A. PAKI/V. VOIŞIAN, Cluj‐Napoca, jud. Cluj. In: CCA. Campania<br />

1998 (Bucureşti 1999), 31.<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 2001<br />

S. COCIŞ/C. CIONGRADI/V. VOIŞIAN/E. BOTA, Fibule romane <strong>de</strong> la Napoca.<br />

In: C. Cosma/D. Tamba/A. Rustoiu (Eds.), Studia archaeologica et historica Nicolao Gu<strong>de</strong>a<br />

dicata. Omagiu profesorului Nicolae Gu<strong>de</strong>a la 60 <strong>de</strong> ani/Festschrift für Professor Nicolae Gu<strong>de</strong>a<br />

gelegentlich <strong>de</strong>s 60. Geburtstages. Bibl. Mus. Porolissensis IV (Zalău 2001), 431–440.<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 2002<br />

S. COCIŞ/I. NEMETI/V. VOIŞIAN/F. FODOREAN, Cluj‐Napoca, jud. Cluj. Strada Victor<br />

Deleu. In: CCA. Campania 2001 (Bucureşti 2002), 107.<br />

COCIŞ ET AL. 2004<br />

S. COCIŞ/E. BEU-DACHIN/V. VOIŞIAN, Un altare votivo a Silvano, scoperto a Napoca.<br />

Acta Mus. Napocensis 39–40/I, 2002–2003 [2004], 235–239.<br />

FEUGÈRE 1991<br />

M. FEUGÈRE, Autres formes. In: M. Feugère/C. Rolley (Eds.), La vaissele tardo-républicaine<br />

en bronze, Actes <strong>de</strong> la table-ron<strong>de</strong> CNSR organisée à Lattes du 26 au 28 avril 1990 par l’UPR<br />

290 (Lattes) et le GDR 125 (Dijon), Centre <strong>de</strong> recherches sur les techniques gréco-romaines 13<br />

(Dijon 1991), 121–130.<br />

FÜLEP 1949<br />

F. FÜLEP, Rómaikori kocsitemetkezés Vajtán. Arch. Ért. 76/1–2, 1949, 40–51.<br />

GĂZDAC ET ALII 2003<br />

C. GĂZDAC/V. VOIŞIAN/S. COCIŞ, Coin finds from Roman Napoca – the excavations on<br />

Deleu St. Rev. Bistriţei 17, 2003, 77–96.<br />

GĂZDAC ET AL. 2010<br />

C. GĂZDAC/S. COCIŞ/Á. ALFÖLDY-GĂZDAC/L. CĂLIAN, The Roman Imperial Hoard<br />

“Deleu” from Cluj‐Napoca, Patrimonium Archaeologicum Transylvanicum 3 (Cluj-Napoca<br />

2010).<br />

ISINGS 1957<br />

C. ISINGS, Roman Glass from dated finds. Arch. Traiectina 2 (Groeningen/Djakarta 1957).<br />

IVANOV/STOJANOV 1985<br />

T. IVANOV/S. STOJANOV, Abritvs. Its history and archaeology (Razgrad 1985).<br />

KAUFMANN-HEINIMANN 1994<br />

A. KAUFMANN-HEINIMANN, Die römischen Bronzen <strong>de</strong>r Schweiz V, Neufun<strong>de</strong> und<br />

Nachtäge (Mainz am Rhein 1994).<br />

KOSTER 1997<br />

A. KOSTER, Description of the Collections in the Rijksmuseum G.M. Kam at Nijmegen<br />

XIII: The bronze vessels II. Acquisitions 1954–1996 (including vessels of pewter and iron)<br />

(Nijmegen 1997).<br />

MUSTAŢĂ ET AL. 2012<br />

S. MUSTAŢĂ/S. COCIŞ/V. VOIŞIAN, A rough package for a fine content. Iron vessels from<br />

the Roman town of Napoca (Cluj-Napoca, Romania). Bull. Instrumentum 35, 2012, 26-29.<br />

OPREANU 2008<br />

C. H. OPREANU, Houses in Towns and Small Towns of Roman Dacia. In: P. Scherrer (Hrsg.),<br />

Domus. Das Haus in <strong>de</strong>n Städten <strong>de</strong>r römischen Donauprovinzen. Akten <strong>de</strong>s 3. Intern.<br />

Symposiums über römische Städte in Noricum und Pannonien, Österreichisches Archäologisches<br />

Institut Son<strong>de</strong>rschriften 44 (Wien 2008), 387–403.


242 Silvia Mustaţă, Sorin Cociş, Valentin Voişian<br />

OPREANU 2009<br />

C. H. OPREANU, Templul lui Devs Sol Invictus <strong>de</strong> la Napoca. Contribuţie la topografia<br />

şi istoria oraşului antic/The temple of Devs Sol Invictus from Napoca. Contribution to<br />

the topography and history of the ancient town. Stud. Historia UBB 54/1–2, 2009, 127–140.<br />

PEACOCK/WILLIAMS 1986<br />

D. P. S. PEACOCK/D. F. WILLIAMS, Amphorae and the Roman economy: an introductory<br />

gui<strong>de</strong>. Longman archaeology series (London 1986).<br />

PLANCK 1983<br />

D. PLANCK, Rainau. Fundber. Ba<strong>de</strong>n-Württenberg 8, 1983, 326–335.<br />

RADNÓTI 1957<br />

A. RADNÓTI, Gefässe, Lampen und Tintenfässer aus Bronze. In: M. R. Alföldi/<br />

L. Barkóczi/J. Fitz/K. Sz. Póczy/A. Radnóti/Á. Salamon/K. Sági/J. Szilágyi/E. B. Vágó (Hrsg.),<br />

Intercisa II. (Dunapentele). Geschichte <strong>de</strong>r Stadt in <strong>de</strong>r Römerzeit, Arch. Hungarica. Ser. Nova<br />

XXXVI (Budapest 1957), 173–224.<br />

RUSU-BOLINDEŢ 2007<br />

V. RUSU-BOLINDEŢ, Ceramica romană <strong>de</strong> la Napoca. Contribuţii la studiul ceramicii din<br />

Dacia romană. Bibl. Mvs. Napocensis XXV (Cluj-Napoca 2007).<br />

SEDLMAYER 1999<br />

H. SEDLMAYER, Die römischen Bronzegefäße in Noricum. Monographies Instrumentum 10<br />

(Montagnac 1999).<br />

SEITZ 2005<br />

G. SEITZ, Ba<strong>de</strong>wesen und Hygiene. Bedürfnis und Vergnügen. In: Imperium Romanum.<br />

Roms Provinzen an Neckar, Rhein und Donau. Begleitband zur Ausstellung <strong>de</strong>s Lan<strong>de</strong>s Ba<strong>de</strong>n-<br />

Württemberg im Kunstgebäu<strong>de</strong> Stuttgart 1. Oktober bis 8. Januar 2006 (Stuttgart 2005).<br />

SZIRMAI 1993<br />

K. SZIRMAI, Eisengefässe in <strong>de</strong>n spätrömischen aquincumer Gräbern. In: J. Arce/<br />

F. Burkhalter (coords.), Bronces y Religion Romana. Actas <strong>de</strong>l XI. Congreso Internacional<br />

<strong>de</strong> Bronces Antiquos, Madrid, mayo-junio, 1990, Consejo Superior <strong>de</strong> Investigaciones<br />

Científicas (Madrid 1993), 421–427.<br />

ŢIPLIC ET AL. 2004<br />

I. M. ŢIPLIC/S. COCIŞ/V. VOIŞIAN, Descoperiri medievale timpurii în Cluj‐Napoca,<br />

str. V. Deleu/Early medieval discoveries in Cluj‐Napoca, str. V. Deleu. Rev. Bistriţei 18, 2004,<br />

195–208.


Instrumentum Balnei from Roman Napoca<br />

243<br />

Gh. Barițiu Street<br />

I. L. Caragiale Park<br />

N<br />

Octavian Petrovici Street<br />

Victor Deleu Street<br />

Roosvelt Street<br />

National History<br />

Museum<br />

of Transylvania<br />

Constantin Daicoviciu Street<br />

Museum Square<br />

1<br />

0 1 20 m<br />

2<br />

Pl. I. 1 – Plan of the central part of Cluj-Napoca with the location of the excavations from Victor Deleu Street<br />

(redrawn after GĂZDAC ET AL. 2010). 2 – Image with the first vessel in situ (photo: S. Cociş).


244 Silvia Mustaţă, Sorin Cociş, Valentin Voişian<br />

group of metal objects<br />

including an iron vessels<br />

monetary hoard<br />

N<br />

b<br />

c<br />

e<br />

a<br />

d<br />

C2<br />

iron vessel<br />

C1<br />

0 1 2m<br />

Pl. II. General plan of the excavations from Victor Deleu Street: the 2nd stone phase with the indication of<br />

the areas where the iron vessels were discovered (redrawn after COCIŞ ET AL. 1995, with modifications<br />

by the authors).


Instrumentum Balnei from Roman Napoca<br />

245<br />

5 cm<br />

0<br />

1<br />

Pl. III. 1 – Roman iron vessel from Napoca (drawn by N. Şugar).


246 Silvia Mustaţă, Sorin Cociş, Valentin Voişian<br />

part ad<strong>de</strong>d during restoration<br />

joining line<br />

part ad<strong>de</strong>d during restoration<br />

joining line<br />

joining line<br />

part ad<strong>de</strong>d<br />

during restoration<br />

part ad<strong>de</strong>d during restoration<br />

original base<br />

part ad<strong>de</strong>d during restoration<br />

1<br />

5 cm<br />

0<br />

2<br />

Pl. IV. Roman iron vessel from Napoca. 1 – X-ray showing the original shape (ma<strong>de</strong> by D. Duma).<br />

2 – Drawing ma<strong>de</strong> after the X-ray.


Instrumentum Balnei from Roman Napoca<br />

247<br />

5 cm<br />

0<br />

1<br />

2a 2b 2c<br />

Pl. V. Roman iron vessel from Napoca. 1 – Detail. 2a-2c – General views (photos: M. Urák, S. Mustaţă).


248 Silvia Mustaţă, Sorin Cociş, Valentin Voişian<br />

0 5 cm<br />

1<br />

Pl. VI. 1 – Roman iron vessel from Napoca (drawn by N. Şugar).


Instrumentum Balnei from Roman Napoca<br />

249<br />

lid<br />

line between<br />

the two plates?<br />

part ad<strong>de</strong>d<br />

during restoration<br />

joining line<br />

1<br />

lid<br />

line between<br />

the two plates?<br />

5 cm<br />

joining line<br />

0<br />

2<br />

Pl. VII. Roman iron vessel from Napoca. 1–2 – X-rays (ma<strong>de</strong> by D. Duma).


250 Silvia Mustaţă, Sorin Cociş, Valentin Voişian<br />

1a<br />

1b<br />

0 5 cm<br />

1c<br />

1d<br />

Pl. VIII. Roman iron vessel from Napoca. 1a–1d. General views (photos: M. Urák, S. Mustaţă).


Instrumentum Balnei from Roman Napoca<br />

251<br />

1a<br />

1b<br />

1c<br />

1d<br />

5 cm<br />

0<br />

2 3<br />

Pl. IX. Roman iron vessel from Napoca. 1a–1d – Details (photos: M. Urák, S. Mustaţă). 2 – Image before restoration<br />

(photo: S. Cociş). 3 – Image after restoration before reconstructing the missing handle (photo: S. Cociş).

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!