Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 31/1. (2011)
Articles
194 D. PeTRUT-R. ZÄGREANU dealing with an independent type. The chronological spectrum of the stelae belonging to this type covers almost the entire period of existence of the province, consequently only the individual dating of these monuments on epigraphic grounds is possible (Ciongradi 2007, 53). Unfortunately, the stela from Porolissum, although the text of the epitaph is intact, offers no evidence regarding its dating. Type II. B. Rectangular relief field and coping consisting of funerary lions or triangular pediment The rectangular relief field enclosed in a profiled frame, characteristic to this type of monument, usually contains either the depiction of the deceased, or the scene of the funerary banquet. The monuments of this type are relatively common in Dacia Porolissensis, besides Porolissum, they are encountered at Gherla, Cäsei (Cluj county) and Potaissa (Teposu-Marinescu 1982, S 118,119). It appears that this type of stelae is representative of the military environment of northern Dacia, especially as no examples are known from Dacia Superior. The monument of Aelia Verina (5) can be dated on the basis of the praenomen of the deceased, to the middle of the 2nd century AD. It is interesting to note that, except the initials from the starting formula (in this case only the letter ‘D’ is preserved), the letters of the inscription bear the signs of a poor quality execution, which contrasts the relatively careful carving of the morphological and decorative features of the monument. Considering other cases as well (Bärbulescu 2003, 82), it seems plausible that the monument was inscribed by the customer after purchase. An analogy for this monument comes from Potaissa (Jude-Pop 1972, 9, no. 6), which only differs in the fact that the pediment is enclosed. The second stela from Porolissum, belonging to this type (6), was lost after being incorporated into the wall of a house in Ortelec near Porolissum. Unfortunately, the only photograph which exists of the monument, taken in the 1960’s, is not clear enough to allow detailed stylistic observations. The analogy of the monument in question, as in the previous case, comes from Potaissa (Jude-Pop 1972, 9, no. 10). Type II. C. Triangular pediment and medallion-shaped niche The stelae with triangular pediment and medallion-shaped niche are considered rare in Dacia, as opposed to the variants without pediment or with attic which are represented in a larger number, especially in Dacia Superior (e.g. Teposu-Marinescu 1982, S 173,174,178,179).10 11 Due to the very clear stylistic connection, the two monuments from Porolissum (7, 8), although both in a fragmentary state of preservation, and exhibiting some morphological dissimilarities (the lack of a pediment in the case of fragment no. 7), in our view belong to the same type of funerary stelae, and very probably are products of the same workshop. As analogies, we can mention a fragment from Napoca dated by L. Teposu-Marinescu on stylistic grounds to the first part of the 3rd century AD, and a stela from Orästioara de Jos (Hunedoara county), dated by the same author to the end of the 2nd century AD (Teposu-Marinescu 1982, S 157, 175). The fragments from Porolissum11 display a number of features which are potentially indicative of their date. We refer to the Iulia Domna type hairstyle and the signs which point to the use of the drill in shaping the eyes and the acanthus-leaf motif. This suggests that the monuments were created at the beginning of the 3rd century AD. 10 Most of the stelae of this type come from Micia. 11 Of fragment no. 8, only the upper left part is preserved today, the rest is known from a photograph taken in 1943.
