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

IX. ENTERTAINMENT, PLAY - 1. Musical instruments (lyre, flutes)

(although called it harp). It appeared obvious that the so-called "game-pions" are keys used for the bending of strings and the game board with holes served for the distribution and fixing of strings.

115 Fig. $4- Representation of Lyre on tombstone The ornaments of the lyre — determined nearly half a century after their unearthing — were found by E. Mahler in the female grave No. 2 of the cemetery. The grave could be dated through the Marcus Aurel coin found at the same place. The gilt ivory carvings, figurai ivory plates unearthed beside the 17 bone lyre keys covered a wooden sound box. (No. 606-622.) Ever since their first publication all contributors agreed that the ivory decorations were made in Alexandria and were probably brought to Pannónia through the mediation of Aquilean merchants. It is my aim in the following to prove the existence of this — so far only supposed — commercial connection. Of the bone lamellae there remained a Gorgo-head composed in a circular plate (No. 599.) and also the representation of three god resp. goddess figures in rather fragmentary condition. The lamella representing Venus (No. 600a.) and Mars (No. 600b.) is broken in the middle and rather incomplete and from the figure of Isis only a three quarter profiled head has survived (No. 601.); while the genre pictures of the bordered, rectangular plate representing Amors are nearly entirely intact. (Nos. 602605.) The size, style and details of scenes to be seen on the carvings completely agree with the bone plates known from Tác resp. from the Collection of the Zadar Museum. The carving from Tác was unearthed from the earliest layer of the apsis of Building VII. built by Hadrian, i. e. the time of their one-time employment is nearly the same: the carvings were transported to Pannónia in the first half of the 2nd century through an organized merchant coverage. For the simultaneous appearance of several fine, exclusive imported pieces in this borderline province justifies instead of a personal, individual purchase a regular, organized commerce connecting several settlements. Of the lamellae the one divided with architectonic elements (No. 605.) representing small wingless figures belonged, in my opinion, not to the original covering plates. Its style strikingly differs from the other inlays; it may also be a later substitution. Flutes and whistles (No. 623-635.) Greeks have also preferred different pipes (Pan's pipe) and lutes. (Nos. 623-635.) Music had a constant role in the everyday life of the Romans, too. They were often used in the cult of the gods, at weddings, burials, festivities and theatre. Flute is one of the oldest musical instruments the form of which has undergone but minor changes since prehistoric times. Changes and improvements were made in the scheme, the number and place of sound holes and in the handling technique of the instrument. The great number of references by antique authors explain that 14 kinds of flutes used by Greeks and Romans are known to us by name. (Varró R R II. 5.12; Ov. Fast. V. 104; Ov. Fast. VI. 659; Ovid Met. III. 533; Mart. XIV. 64; Plin. Ep. I. 15; Apul. Met. 11. 245) The variations in form also influenced tone (tibia dextra was bass while tibia sinistra was soprano). Fig. 85. Intact flute Flutes were made of sycamore, bronze or bone. Bone flutes were combined with bronze. Flutes were, similarly to lyre, important aids of teaching at school. One of the vase pictures of the British Museum (Cat. of Vases III. E. 171. 172. Nr. 522.523.) represents a music lesson at school; one of the pupils is playing on flute the other on lyre while their teacher is listening to them. In everyday life flute was used at wedding, festivities or buriels. They