A Veszprém Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei 22. (Veszprém, 2002)
K. Palágyi Sylvia: Emberfej alakú bronzedény Bakonyszentkirályról (Kitekintéssel a belső-pannoniai darabokra)
A BRONZE VESSEL IN THE SHAPE OF A HUMAN HEAD FROM BAKONYSZENTKIRALY (With a survey of pieces from inner Pannónia) In the autumn of 2000, a bronze vessel in the shape of a head was presented to the Veszprém Dezső Laczkó Museum by Bálint Nagy jnr., thus adding to the collection. The little vessel saw the light of day sometime between 1980 and 1990 when it was discovered during ploughing. The head of Negroid character is badly damaged, with parts missing. The handle and snap lid are missing, that is to say, a leaf-shaped attachment section and the stump of a handle (ear?) are all that remain of them. The hair covering the ear is arranged in several rows of curls. The left shoulder is covered with a chlamys, and a torque with a lunula pendant may have been round the neck. (Figures 1 to 3). In total, five head-shaped bronze vessels are known from Inner Pannónia (Bakonyszentkirály, Igar, Keszthely, Pápa, Szentgyörgyvár). Four of these have Negro heads, and the fifth closely resembles the well-know Antinous portraits (Figure 4). This later (found in Szentgyörgyvár), as well as the vessel described in the catalogue of the Pápa Reformed collection, can be considered lost 57 . With its sort hair, the Negro head vessel from Igar represents a type which differs from the usual portraits 10 . Although wearing a beard and moustache, the piece kept in the Balaton Museum in Keszthely has a hairstyle which resembles that of the Bakonyszentkirály vessel. The face has more of an Oriental character, however, due to the slanted eyes (Figure 5 and 6). As a possible parallel to the Bakonyszentkirály head vessel, one of the intercisa vessels can be claimed, whereas from further afield, the Bielgorod vessel is a candidate" l4 . The connection may be attributed to the distribution centre on the shore of the Black Sea, as postulated by Majewski 17 . A more precise age for the Bakonyszentkirály Negro head vessel cannot be determined by means of easily dateable finds from the same environment. The shape of the eyes may help. Based on the high position of the pupils, a rather broad period must be considered, between the second half of the second century and the middle of the third 20 . The Bakonyszentkirály head-shaped vessel in the form of a bust may have contained either seeds, oils, or scented powders intended for use as incense, so it was for everyday use, as part of the sacrificial rituals 21 * 25 . Together with Negro head lucernae, the Negro head vessels may have been articles of equipment for household shrines/lararia 21 . As a primary function, their use as weights for a pair of scales is out of the question 27 . This present communication is an extended version, although leaving out the assessment of the archeometric tests, of the lecture entitled, "Ein neu entdecktes Baisamarium aus Pannonién" [A newly discovered balsamarium from Pannónia] given at the 15th congress on antique bronzes, held between 22-26 May 2001 in Aquileia. 61
