A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve, 1984/85-2. A népvándorláskor fiatal kutatóinak szentesi találkozóján elhangzott előadások. (Szeged, 1991)

Berecz Katalin: Római áru a szarmata Barbaricumban

ABSTRACT Berecz Katalin Archaeloloeical research has long been concerned with Roman artifacts found in the asssemblages left behind bu inhabitants of the Barbaricum bordering the Roman Empire. Previously, this group of finds was mostly used in the relative dating of indigeneous materials. Lately, however, they have played an increasing role in the reconstruction of economic and political conditions. Studies published recently in ever increasing numbers contribute to the understanting of such ralitionships. Completely recovered assamblages often provide the data base for such publications. The paper presented here makes use of some of these studies. Materials from three roman Period Samatian settlements and parts of cemeteries were analyzed respectively. These included settlement materials from the sites of Gyoma 133, Kunszentmárton - Téglagyár (Brick Factory), and Lajosmizse, as well as grave assemblages from the sites of Szolnok Szandaszöllös, TSz homokgödör (Co-operative sand pit), Törökszentmiklós - Surján, Újtelep, Homokgödrök (Sand pits), Kis - Büdös - Érpárt were compare. The statistical analysis was not exclusively based on the evaluation of imported materials but rather, the whole of the assemblage was taken into considration. Using this method, proportions of data reprsenting absolute values differing by orders of magnitude may be compared (Table 1). When finds are grouped by raw material (Table 2), an overwhelming dominance of ceramics (average: 99,45%) may be observed. Metal object made a greater contribution to buial assemblages (45%). Based on manufacturing techniques, the vessels found at settlements were atrifacts were hand-thrown (2 % less were found in cemeteries). Sixty pecent of the vessels from cemeteries were made on a fast wheel (67,5%). These figures, however, show no significant differences between materials from settlements and cemeteries respectively. When the ceramic material is grouped on a functional basis, 58,1% of all vessels fall in the caterogy of cooking pots and table ware. The contribuion of such vessels to the total is munc higher in the case of grave assemblages (95%). One third of all ceramich derives from storage vessels in settlement materials, while they make up only 6,4% of grave offerings. In summary, one and a half as many cooking vessels and table ware were found in graves as at settlements, while this latter type of site yielded five times as many storage vessels as did the cemeteries. The remarkably small contribution of imported ware (Table 5) is chiefly consists of cheap, mass-prodused provincial decorative items (average: 75%). A very small proportion is reprezented by storage vessels imprted as containers togather with oil and wine (2%). Roman coins (4,43%) found within thes materials are veru unlikely to have served their original funtion (Table 6). These observations support the assumption that Sarmatians inhatiting the Carpathian Basin during the 2nd century AD led a sedentary way of life. In addition to animal keeping and land cultivation they developed local craft industries and maintained trade links with the Roman Provieces. 80