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

VIII. CARVED FURNITURE DECORATION - 1. Pivots, hinges

jecting. (Nos. 596., 598.) These bone lids are so similar that they can be distinguished only after their size. The length and thickness of corner joints is very different. (Nos. 592-593.) Beside 10-12 cm long hinges there are also small, 2-3 cm long cylinders as well. (No. 594.) The bone cylinders are applied with bores. Into these bores bone pegs are fitted which can be simple sticks but in some cases the lid handle of the hinge is turned to an intricate shape. (Nos. 595., 597.) There are hinges where the bone tubes have no direct contact with the side face and the opening door or chest lid; just like our wardrobes are generally fixed with joint hinges only at three points. At places where there is no lateral fixing, the bone tubes are also attached with pegs. There is such a bone tube in the Collection, (No. 593.) where the inner cross section of one end is rectangular, while that of the other end is triangular this way further promoting the safety and steadiness of fastening. In antique furnitures hinges were not only significant elements of construction but they also constituted an intricate decoration. Fig. 82. Pivots, hinges