Alba Regia. Annales Musei Stephani Regis. – Alba Regia. Az István Király Múzeum Évkönyve. 23. 1984-1985 – Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei: C sorozat (1987)

Tanulmányok – Abhandlungen - Biró Mária, T.: Gorsium bone carvings. p. 25–63.

Fig. 31. The inscription of an ornatrix with the representation of fine-tooth comb and hair pin end of the building shows the same incised-cross hatching (Fig. 297). The headless pin, as the most common type of hairpin, is pictured together with a fine-tooth comb, on the grave-stone of an ornatrix (PL 13). It occurs in early finds with pointed or rounded tip almost at each site where there are any bone articles. In the fourth century it seems to become fashionable to decorate the thicker, upper third by crosswise twisted lines (Figs. 246, 297, 298, 405), or by the incised-cross hatching motive. I noticed it at the sites of the tabernae (Fig. 246), in building XXXVIII (Figs. 297, 298), and in the cemetery area (Fig. 405), though undecorated types are also present. The incised-cross hatching motive on the above described hairpins in building XXXVIII is a proof for the existence of the later workshop. Well (Figs. 304—339) Cemetery at Margittelep (Figs. 340—410) The excavations of the late Roman cemetery at Gorsium were done by Vera Lányi, and it is to her I wish to express my gratitude that, before publishing the complete material, she gave me permission to publish the bone objects deriving from the cemetery. In this cemetery containing more than 400 graves, there are few bone carvings. There were only 45 graves where any articles made of bone occurred: some beads (Grave 225, Fig. 408), a bone-ring (Grave 295, Fig. 407), two hairpins (Graves 95 and, Figs. 403 and 405) and two combs (Graves 268 and 135, Figs. 406, 410) — the others are bracelets. The fine-tooth comb is in relatively good condition, only the teeth being incomplete which, in point of view of its shape, is unimportant. Thus, it was possible to establish the fact that it is far more decorative than the specimens found on the site of the settlement. The two ends finish off in a wavy line, and it is decorated by three pierced holes. On its crossband, unlike the usual late antique motives, the incised-cross hatching motive is to be seen, characteristic of the late Roman carving workshop of Gorsium. The same incised-cross hatching decorates the cock-pin found in grave 95 (its detailed description see with building XXXVIII) and the plain hairpin found in grave engraved in the same way along its thicker upper part (see description of this type of pin with building XXXVIII, and of its parallel decorated with a spiral in the tabernae). In the particulars of the listed bone objects the local character was traceable in each case and also the close relation to the population playing their role in the prosperity after the tetrarchia (There was also a bracelet on the site of building VII) The analogies of the sole humpbacked comb are known from Nagytétény (MNM inv. ns. 457.30.1 unpublished) and from Intercica (Intercisa western cemetery, grave 2137, unpublished). We reconstructed the fragments found at Gorsium according to the comb of Nagytétény (Fig. 410). II. I distinguished 6 types of bone bracelets. The motives of the bracelets were made by stable twolegged compasses, also used by present day bonecarvers. The span of these compasses was not changeable, thus, the measurements of the circles made by them were constant. Three measurements are observable at Gorsium: small circles, middle sized circles (their size equalling the outer measurements of the double circles) and the large sized circles, which usually filled in the whole width of a thick bracelet. I sorted out my types according to the motives of the circles found on the bracelets. The bone bracelets, with very rare exceptions, were always worn on the left arm, generally 2—6 bracelets were put in a grave. Although we possess data on certain type of bracelets having had a special significance as to which arm they were worn on, like, for instance, dextrale (RICH 1862, 211), in my opinion the bone bracelets are only worn on the left arm because they break easier and are more easily damaged than jewels made of metal. I attach, though, special importance to the types occurring in a grave and to their condition in which they were found: Type I. This motive is used on wide bracelets. Large size circles and a horizontally engraved X alternative with eachother and in the circles as well as between the axes of the X there are numerous small carved circles. Sometimes vertical lines are also used to divide the motives into separate fields. Five such pieces were found in the cemetery from graves 62, 82, 182, 207 and 268 (Figs. 340, 341, 342, 343, 344). Motives of the bracelets found in grave 62 and 182 are only identical, the others are variants of the basic motive. In grave 268 it was found together with the finetooth comb. Each specimen is much worn, some parts of the bracelet in grave 207 are smoothly polished by wear. The double circles are not represented on a single bracelet of type I. Can it be probable that these bracelets were brought from other settlements (possibly from Intercisa) and work at the local carving workshop started later? There may be difference in time of manufacturing the types but there is no significant difference in their use. In grave 182 all bracelet types of Gorsium are found together. There is only the striking feature that while the bracelets of type I are always well-worn, the other bracelets put into the grave together with them are always in good condition. 53