A Herman Ottó Múzeum évkönyve 53. (2014)

Régészet - Tóth Krisztián: Noteworthy Findings of the Roman Age and Early Migration Period from Borsodszirák, Northestern Hungary. First Investigations

Noteworthy Findings of the Roman Age and Early Migration Period from Borsodszirdk

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Hand-made vessels with cut-in rim are common in the Germanic area. Included but not limited to, there are examples for this from Felsőzsolca, the sand mine of the farmer’s co-operative (K. Végh 1975, IV. tábla 4) and from Szirmabesenyő, Berek (K. Végh 1975, XXIII. tábla 10). After István Bóna, Katalin Végh K. dated the cut-in decoration to the end of the second century and the beginning of the third century (K. Végh, 1975, 88), but this kind of decoration technique is probably not specific to a particular period, but played a role in hand-made vessels’ decoration from the end of the second century surely to the end of the fourth century. Végh K. published an exact parallel of the stamped pot from Hangony (K. Végh 1975, IV. tábla 5). According to her the artefacts from Hangony can be dated to the early roman period and she considers them as Celtic (K. Végh 1975, 83).

Pot-shape vessels

These kinds of vessels are similar to cooking pots, but are always wheel-made and made of a good quality basic material. In most cases we are not able to find any sign of cooking in them. They were probably used for more functions from cooking to storing and making dairy-products.

1. It is probably made by slow throwing-wheel. In its moderately prepared basic material a sparse amount of well-rounded, fine sand can be found and it is rich in mica. Its outer and inner surface is grey, while it is probably burnt in an oxygen- reduced atmosphere. The thickness of its lateral wall is 6 mm. Beneath a horizontal incised line a diagonally stabbed decoration can be found on it in two rows, and a zigzag pattern runs between them. The surface of the fragment is polished over the top incised line and under the lower stabbed rows (Fig. 5.1).

2. It is a wheel-made pot-shaped vessel with swelling, bended over, slantwise cut off, lid grooved rim. In its well prepared basic material an abundant amount of well-rounded, fine sand can be found, and it is poor in mica. Its section is without core. Its outer and inner surface is dark grey (blue shade), while it is burnt in an oxygen-reduced atmosphere. The sand was probably added to the basic material by the potter (Fig. 5. 2). The thickness of its wall is 4 mm, while the diameter of the rim is 14 cm.

3. It is a wheel-made pot-shaped vessel with swelling, bended over, rounded, lid grooved rim.

A corrugation runs around its neck. In its moderately prepared basic material, a moderate amount of well rounded, moderately sorted, mixed-sized sand can be found and it is rich in mica. The sand could be part of the basic material originally or could be added by the potter. Its outer surface is greyish-brown, its inner is grey, calcite crust can be found on its fraction surface, while it is burnt in an oxygen-reduced atmosphere (Fig. 5. 3). The thickness of its wall is 4.5 mm, while the diameter of the rim is 15 cm.

4. It is a wheel-made pot-shaped vessel with bended over, rounded, lid grooved rim. In its moderately prepared basic material a common amount of well rounded, well sorted, mixed-sized sand and a rare amount of pebble can be found, and it is rich in mica. The sand could be originally part of the basic material or was added by the potter, while the pebble is naturally included. Its outer surface is grey, its inner is dark grey, while it is burnt in an oxygen-reduced atmosphere (Fig. 5. 4). The thickness of its wall is 5 mm, while the diameter of the rim is 14 cm.

5. It is a wheel-made pot-shaped vessel with bended over, faceted rim slighdy bending down outside and grooved inside. In its moderately prepared basic material a common amount of well rounded, sorted, mixed-sized sand and a rare amount of pebble can be found, and it is rich in mica. The sand could be originally part of the basic material or was added by the potter, while the pebble is naturally included. On the outer surface marks of the wheel-throwing can be observed. Its outer surface is dark grey, its inner is light grey, while it is burnt in an oxygen-reduced atmosphere (Fig. 5. 5). The thickness of its wall is 5 mm, while the diameter of the rim is 14 cm.

6. It is a wheel-made pot-shaped vessel with bended over, tapered, rounded rim. In its moderately prepared basic material a moderate amount of well-rounded, well-sorted, mixed-sized sand and a rare amount of dinky pebble can be found, and it is rich in mica. The sand could be originally part of the basic material or was added by the potter, while the pebble is naturally included. Its outer and inner surface is grey, its section has a grey core with red stripes and there is a slim grey line on both sides. It is burnt in an oxygen-reduced atmosphere (Fig. 5. 6). The thickness of its wall is 8.5 mm, while the diameter of the rim is 18 cm.