Alba Regia. Annales Musei Stephani Regis. – Alba Regia. Az István Király Múzeum Évkönyve. 25. – Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei: C sorozat (1995)

Rei Cretariae Romanae Fautorum Acta XXXIV - Martin, A.: Central Italian lead-glazed Ware. p. 63–68.

and in the Rhône valley but also in Spain and Africa. It is to be found occasionally also on eastern Mediterranean ones like Paphos (J.W. Hayes: personal communciation). Finally it turns up occasionally on northern sites as far afield as England. Hungary might also belong to the distribution area: Arthur 1979, 394, appears on the basis of a published drawing to think central Italy the likely origin of a piece from Székesfehérvár, while Hungarian scholars are oriented toward northern Italy or Gaul for the early pieces imported to Pannónia (Bonis 1990, 36; Barkóczi 1992, 7), which seems probable as none of the vessels displayed in the exhibition at Székesfehérvár and presented in Glasierte Keramik 1992 could be called unequivocably central Italian. This ware is therefore, together with decorated Late Italian Sigillata, one of the latest ceramic creations of Roman Italy to have a certain commercial success outside its strictly local market. Research is still needed on the mechanisms of change in the Italian and provincial markets of the period in order to explain the phenomenon. Another interesting feature of this central Italian leadglazed ware is its position in the functional range of vessels. It has been said that there is no functional relation between the late antique or early mediaeval lead-glazed vessels that are utilitarian, often used for cooking, and the earlier imperial wares that imitate metal vessels and are considered luxurious products (cf, for example, Mannoni 1992, 21). It seems to me, however, that this class goes some way to constituting a bridge between the two contrasting groups. The general opinion considering the products of the early workshops in Asia Minor in particular but also elsewhere, such as in northern Italy, to be precious objects (cf., for example, Maccabruni 1987, 174; "ceramica fine da mensa a spiccato carattere suntuario") is undoubtedly correct, at least as far as ceramic vessels can be precious. They are inspired by metal vessels in their forms and decorations (cf. among others: Jones 1945, 45-47); CHARLESTON 1955, 24-25; Gabelmann 1974, 265). They are almost always obtained from molds (Maccabruni 1987, 168). Other influences discerned come only in part from ceramic sources and are all connected with fine wares: glass and objects in semiprecious stone, as well as Megarian bowls and Eastern Terra Sigillata (HOCHULIGYSEL 1977, 13, 143-144). In short, this class stands somewhat apart from other classes of pottery. While central Italian lead-glazed ware presents the metallic green and yellow color scheme of the earlier products, the vessels of this class are decidedly less noble products. This is borne out both by the decorations and forms documented. As far as decoration is concerned, the Ostian group contrasts greatly with the earlier pieces. First of all, only about an eighth of the vessel from the Terme del Nuotatore context bears any decoration at all. Furthermore just a third of the decorated pieces presents the relief molding (fig. 1), typical of vessels inspired by metal prototypes, found on the earlier wares. To the vessels with decorations derived from models in metal can be added several pieces with appliqués. Some vessels decorated with a sort of grooving (fig.2) could reflect metal or glass models (cf. Arthur 1979, 392, for comparative material). However, most decorations are of types specific to pottery and especially common on thin-walled cups and beakers: barbotine (fig. 3) and pinecone motifs (figg. 4, 5,1) (cf. Ricci 1985, 320-343, for such decorations). Of these pinecone motifs, known also on Italian sigillata where they could be a borrowing from thin-walled pottery (Pucci 1985, 398: XLIII; Conspectus, form 50, 5, 1), dominate (fig. 1: Martin 1992, fig. 6; fig. 3: Martin 1992, fig. 7). Thus the scarcity of decorated pieces in the central Italian lead-glazed ware and the sort of decoration found indicate a move away from the extreme dependence on metal prototypes of the earlier wares and a closer relationship to other classes of ceramics. The forms documented in the find at the Terme del Nuotatore bear out the contrast with the older products seen in the decorations. The most common forms are plates, bowls, jars and lamps. Pitchers and cups are somewhat less frequent. Among the rarer pieces there are a couple of inkwells. Thus the vessels are not limited to a few forms and types, particularly ones for drinking, directly inspired by models in metal (cf. Gabelmann 1974, 266, for this sort of vessel as a sign of the luxurious nature of the earlier lead-glazed ware). Rather they cover the range of vessels found in sigillata, thin-walled pottery and coarse tableware. Many types are specific to the class (as Desbat 1986, 107, comments) and recur on various sites, although comparisons can be found in other classes. There is, for instance, a cup (fig. 5,1) that has close equivalents in thin-walled pottery, of which at least some examples were perhaps produced in Campania (fig. 5,2 = Ricci 1985, tav. XCV, 5, tipo 2/391) (Ricci 1985, 296-297). A pitcher (fig. 6,1) can be compared to a coarse-ware type found at Ostia (fig. 6,2 = Ostia I, 318). The pinched strap handles that occur on various vessels (figg. 1,1; 4,1; 5,1) and must have an ultimate metallic derivation, although they are found also on glass (Isings 1957, 55, form 39): however, they occur as well on contemporary coarse-ware pottery produced in the area of Rome (fig. 6,3 = Ostia II, 402). The lamps can be attributed to contemporary types produced in Italy: lamps with volute nozzles and lamps with rounded nozzles. The presence of a fragment of a statuette indicates connections with the producers of figurines. The central Italian lead-glazed ware differs, therefore, from the earlier wares in having both a wider range of forms and closer connections with other, not necessarily fine, ceramic classes. Thus we see central Italian lead-glazed ware behaving very much as other classes of pottery do. It develops its 64