Folia archeologica 25.

János Harmatta: Two inscriptions scratched on fragments of pottery from Pannónia

TWO INSCRIPTIONS SCRATCHED ON FRAGMENTS OF POTTERY FROM PANNÓNIA JÁNOS HAR

M ATTA The two interesting fragments of pottery from the Early Imperial Age published by Eva B. Bonis

1 have not come to light in the course of an excavation in Tokod. It should be added that in the collection of the Country Museum of Dorog, to which the two fragments of pottery also belonged, several forgeries and subsequently transformed archaeological objects were recognized by the keepers of the Balassa Bálint Museum of Esztergom. These circumstances warn us to be cautious in the study of the two inscriptions scratched on fragments of pottery found at Tokod. 1. In connection with the fragment of pottery discovered in 1964, É. B. Bonis made the important observation that the strokes of the letters of the inscription at the break line run down the broken surface of the pot. From this she logically concluded that the inscription was incised when the broken surface already existed, i.e. when the pot was already broken, and thus the inscription must naturally be regarded as a modern forgery. Although this argumentation seems to be convincing, it is still not unnecessary to examine the inscription more throughly. On the one hand, in the case of inscriptions discovered under non authentical circumstances the verification of both the forgery and the authenticity is very difficult. It was once appropriately written by Lidzbarski, an eminent representative of Semitic epigraphy: „Gebt mir eine beliebige Inschrift, und ich will Gründe für ihre Unechtheit anführen." Since, this way, the suspicion of forgery can be raised in connection with every inscription, the arguments supporting the authenticity must also be examined in each case. On the other hand, if the inscription proves to be a forgery, from its study we can draw conclusions regarding the knowledge, method and characteristics of the forger. This is im1 See B. Bonis, É., FA 25(1974) 87-98., figs. 3 and 4. The preliminary publication of the two inscriptions: B. Bonis, É., Keltische Darstellungen auf provinzialrömischer Keramik. RCRF Acta 9(1967) 5—15., figs. 5 and 6. The second inscription was briefly mentioned by Gabler, D., AnTan 14(1967) 60. and note 6. 7*