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

VI. BONE OBJECTS OF EVERYDAY USE AND TOOLS MADE OF BONE - 2. Knives

fitting in the handle also refer to small spoons made of bronze. The antique names respectively the archaeological finds at our disposal are not in accordance with each other, therefore the employment of their Latin name is contradictory. There are specialists who differentiate them according to the shape of the spoon heads. In the most recent French monograph the types are distinguished according to the situation of the handle respectively the spoon head. According to the distribution employed by Riha and Stern

92 the spoons carved in one level are "ligulae" while the one bent squarely is called " cochlear"

. In the Collection of the Hungarian National Museum there are also several bone spoons. (Nos. 473-478.) However, of the above types the one with pear-shaped head or according to German usage pouch shaped spoons are missing . This type occurs relatively seldom in Pannónia. The only table spoon was unearthed in Szőny. (No. 473.) Not only its size but its carving is also different from the others. There was but one similar spoon published so far from the neighbouring provinces. Although this spoon from Dacia is smaller, still, the rich carving on the handle relates it to the spoon from Szőny. The architectonic carving on the handle of the spoon is of the same style as seen on the decorative pins of Late Imperial Age. This table spoon from Szőny can be dated on the analogies referred to, to the 3rd-4th centuries. In the Collection of the Hungarian National Museum, just like in other collections, from among small spoons it was circular-headed spoons that are present in the largest number. (Nos. 474-478.) These circular-headed small spoons were made in two sizes. The existence of a standard is proved by the measurements taken from large number of samples. The French monograph referred above describes 96 pieces of round headed spoons, and the nearly hundred spoons could be divided to two parts according to their size. I assume that these small spoons were scales for dosing liquids: and the two sizes corresponded to two units of measure. Between the two sizes the difference is smaller than between our tea and coffee spoons. As an analogy I could rather refer to the small dosing spoon given to liquid medicines containing antibiotics. In the Collection there are four little spoons with circular head. One is from Szőny, while the others are of unknown site. (No. 475.) The two sizes can also be observed here: the small spoon with carved, decorated handle is smaller than the others. The head of drop-shaped spoons it, contrary to circular headed specimens, often decorated. (No. 476.) Their outer surface is often decorated with geometric scratches, names or other inscriptions (utere felix).

93 The outer surface of the drop-shaped spoon head from the Lázár Collection is decorated by a double line running at angles. As I have already referred to, the pear or pouch-shaped spoon head is missing from the Collection just like those with pointed end. The latters had a significant role in Christian liturgy until as late as the Early Middle Ages. It seems to be a Pannonian characteristic that the handle of spoons was often richly decorated. (Nos. 473., 475.) From the six small spoons of the Collection there are two with decorated handles while from the 300 spoons published by the French author referred to above there were none. In my opinion these small spoons were practically scales and they played a role rather in dosing seasons, flavours to foods and drinks than at eating. Another important field of employment was probably therapy and cosmetics. Spoons had a significant task in Old Christian liturgy. Spoons with pointed end were used in the ceremony of Communion as it was first recognized by Milojcic.

94 2. Knives Knife is the most universal tool of mankind. (Nos. 479-487.) The most important device of housework and for thousand of years the only cutlery. In case of need a weapon in the course of hunting or fighting against other people. Its form emerged thousands of years ago and has remained unchanged until now. At most its decoration has changed, but the two basic forms — knife and pocket knife — were already existing in the Roman Age in its present shape. (No. 479.) The haft of knives was made of metal, wood or bone. (Fig. 17.) Wooden hafts have no survived in our province but there are a number