Alba Regia. Annales Musei Stephani Regis. – Alba Regia. Az István Király Múzeum Évkönyve. 1. – Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei: C sorozat (1960)
Tanulmányok – Abhandlungen - Thomas Edit, B.: Medaillion Applications on Pannonian Vessels. I, 1960. p. 71–76. XLII–XLIII.
74 nay in some cases the portraits of historical personalities are occurring. Some known embossed disks with the portraits of Antinous, Antoninus Pius or Geta 20 cannot bedated later than the end of the second or the beginning of the third century. According to the conjecture of J. Déchelette, these were manufactured in the memory of the mentioned persons after their death. We think that the flourishing of the embossed medallions applied to vessels may be dated to the first half of the third century in Gallia. The Pannonian pieces described above deserve a special attention just on account of their divergence from the Gaííian specimens. In our judgment it is worth while, in course of publishing the hitherto unknown Pannonian disks and seals, to analyze those factors and components which brought about and diffused the decoration of vessels with mediations. J. Déchelette states categorically that this kind oi vessel with medallion applications is not manufactured in any other part of the Roman Empire but in the circle mentioned by him. 21 This statement is contradicted, however, by the three negatives and one positive of Pannonian origin which were produced in local potteries and served all the decoration of such vessels. Alföldi regards the earthen crustullum forms and dish-shaped vessels as having a Gallián origin without exception or he reduces them to Gallián patterns.' 2 Truly there cannot be any doubt that the largest portion of the crustullum forms is of Gallián origin or spirit. This is especially valid of the mainly mythological scenes with several figures, bordered by a wreath, accompanied by legends in a circle or between the figures in many cases. We should not regard the exclusive Gallián origin as equally certain in the case of the New Year crustullum forms decorated with the figures of Isis, Serapis, Isis-Fortuna etc. Medallions ornamented with such motives and reliefs are known doubtless from Gallián workshops too, 23 but it is likely that these have chosen their prototypes from the same source whence these arrived here, independently of Gallia, i. e. from the East with the mediation of Italy. Our medallion applications on vessels differ from Gallián specimens considerably. As regard's the disks ornamenting vessels, their application and destination are in fact similar to the western ones, but the contents and artistic conception of the portraits are partly different. Nor is their dispersion and fashion in Pannónia coinciding in time with the western specimens exactly. According to A. Alföldi „ ... instead of the tired Italy the cultural source of the Danubian provinces 20 Ibid. 241. 21 Ibid. 240. 22 A. ALFÖLDI, op. Cit. FA 5 (1845) 66. is already Gallia in the second century." 24 In view of our recent finds we might not make this statement so decidedly; we are inclined rather to modify it by saying that in this time slightly decadent Italian art and culture are refreshed by a new colour, i. e. by the familiarization of eastern cults and tastes, infiltrating ever stronger henceforth. If these new elements influence, nay transform the religions and intellectual life of the imperial centre in a degree, it is only natural that the 'new trend should be noticeable also on the industrial, artistic etc. products of the Danubian provinces and among them PannoT.ia, too. Eastern merchants and military troops, appearing in Pannónia during the second century, together with the original and Romanized inhabitants proved to be very suitable recipients for wares and intellectual currents which arrived in Pannónia from the East, partly through Greece-Thracia-Moesia, partly from Egypt and North Africa with the mediation of Italy. Such wares familiarized and popularized among the Pannonian population could have been also the vessels, with medallion applications, imitated soon by local potters, too. Their occurrence in relatively early potteries among the Pannonian finds proves that this fashion of ornamenting vessels with medallions arrived here immediately by one of the routes mentioned above; the Pannonian acclimatization of this group happened seemingly independently of Gallián influence, at the same time or somewhat earlier than its impact. Whereas the portrayals of the Gallián and Germa nian specimens took their subjects mostly from the scenes of the circus games, gladiators' fights, chariot driving and plays performed in the theatre, the themes of the medallions which may be connected with the local potteries of Pannonian sites are chosen rather from the animal kingdom of eastern character. It goes without saying that this may be a mere chance, as it is hardly possible to draw far-reaching consequences from so few known specimens. But one point is certain, namely that in Gallián literature available to us we failed to find a single specimen exactly or at least partly analogous to our pieces. It suffers no doubt that the endeavour to embellish vessels with embossed disks is of eastern origin and its beginnings must be sought in metallurgy. Similarly to so many masterpieces of ancient industrial arts, the motives were applied to the less noble objects of glass and ceramics. We do not intend to follow the way of this decorative device beginning with Mesopotamian cultures, nor to deal with the extension of the primitive forms of this type in the Aegean regions, Crete, Greece, or its appearance in the potter's craft of Campania. 25 We only mention these places in order :; J. DÉCHELETTE, op. cit. 351, 162 1 ; 306, 140; 235—308 and 345 352. 24 A. ALFÖLDI, op. cit. FA 5 (19451) 68. 25 E. PAGENSTECHER, JDAI %4 (1912) 146^-.
