Mária T. Biró: The Bone Objects of the Roman Collection. (Catalogi Musei Nationalis Hungarici. Seria Archeologica 2; Budapest, 1994)

I. BONE CARVINGS DECORATING WEAPONS AND MILITARY EQUIPMENT - 6. Ferrules - 7. Bow stiffeners and plates

Summing up bone objects used as accessories of military gear, two characteristic features should be noted. One refers to the quality of the objects while the other to the origins of the fashion as well as the motivation of its spread. Bone objects made for the army are of very good quality, ivory is dominating among them — as contrasted to other groups of bone objects surveyed. There is no unique specimen or form among them. All types have their analogies from some province of the Empire if not of bone, then made of metal. Their production and decoration proves good technical skill and good equipments (bone processing lathe). The similar form and the exactly same size supposes the existence of mass production centralized to a certain degree or some set standards. Among these bone objects hand made carving or the motifs of "folk-lore" (also existing in the Empire) are unknown. The majority of bone carvings in the Collection of the Hungarian National Museum came from rescue excavations or from major building areas of the last century or they were purchased from art collectors. Consequently, lacking documentation they cannot be dated on their site. The bone-made finds of the military relics, due to the great number of exact analogies, can be dated with certainty. The bone carvings dealt with above were in use in Pannónia from the 1st century on until the middle of the 3rd century at latest; this conclusion also agrees with the moving of corps and the strategic concept of the military conduct known to us in the military history of the Province. At least, as refers to weaponry of Eastern types; the archaeological remains of Eastern weapons bearing bone decorations are in accordance with the European employment and stationing of Eastern corps as it can be deduced from historical sources. No doubt, the bone accessories of the weapons used in Roman provinces — whether they were functional or only ornamental — are reminiscents of the military techniques of corps directed to this area from the East and stationing here for a longer time. There were cases when the fragments or accessories of unknown destination could be determines with the help of East Asian representations or finds. The territorial distribution of the finds in the European provinces agrees with the movement area of the Eastern corps. However, the 3rd century disappearance of bone accessories of non-East origins — the dating of which is primarily based on the camp excavations of Western provinces — lacks military-political explanation either in Pannónia or in the Western provinces.