Fitz Jenő (szerk.): A Pannonia Konferenciák aktái IV. Bronzes Romains figurés et appliqués et leurs problemes techniques - István Király Múzeum közelményei. A. sorozat 27. A Pannon konferenciák aktái 4. (Székesfehérvár, 1984)

D. Gáspár: A Roman die?

groups, the first one embracing those with a female figure standing in an aedicula, with open-work decoration, worked only on one side. To the second group belong statuettes in the round, to the third the round lead casts in the form of rosettes etc.

For us the first group has a special interest as on exvotos the representstion of Fortuna is rather common, as well as the pine pattern; their working is rather rough and almost laks any artistical ambitions as well; in this point they are, therefore, rather akin to our ’’object” — even in size is similar. Let us suppose that our bronze object was used for making similar ex-votos. The form could be chased with its aid or it could be used as a mould for lead casting; the pattern was in both cases cut out, therefore an elaborate working of the surface outside of it was not necessary. The only week point of this hypothesis is that

the votives of this group are always topped by a tympanon, while our piece is closed by a straight beaded border.

We have to consider the third group as well. In the course of earthworks in a vineyard a bronze object measuring 10x6x1,3 cm was found in Szilas (to-day Silaghiu, Roumania), in 1906 (Berkeszi 1906, 69—70). Both faces were worked but only from one is a drawing published; judging from this its use must have been identical with that of the ’’Esztergom die” (Pl. XL111. 5).(4)

What were then these two objects, dies or moulds? Can we find with absolute certainty a group of objects to whose production the ’’dies” in question might have served? Maybe we should not omit the possibility from our investigations that the decorations of big lead vessels were cast in such moulds and applied afterwarda to the vessel.

Enumerating the questions I hope to have opened a discussion on these two problematic objects.

BIBLIOGRAPHIE

Berkeszi 1906 Fitz 1957

Frere—Hassall—Tomlin 1977

Paulovics 1935 Radnóti 1955

Thomas 1952

I. Berkeszi, Temesvármegyei egyéb leletek. Történelmi és Régészeti Értesítő, N. S. XXII. 69—70.

J. Fitz, Bleigegenstände. AHung, XXXVI, 383—397.

S. S. Frere—M. W. C. Hassa ll—R. S. O. Tomlin, Roman Britain in 1976. Britannia, VIII, 356—449.

I. Paulovics, Dionysosi menet (thiasos) magyarországi emlékeken I. AÉrt, XLVIII, 54—102. A. Radnóti, Későrómai ládika veretei Kisárpásról, Late Roman casket-mounts from Kisárpás. AÉrt, LXXXII, 177—184.

E. B. Thomas, Ólom fogadalmi emlékek Pannóniában. (Pogánytelki ólomöntő műhely). Monuments votifs en plomb sur le territoire de la Pannonie (la fonderie de plomb de Pogánytelek ). AÉrt, LXXIX, 32—38.

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(4) I wish to acknowlwdge my gratitude to Mrs. D o i n a B e n e a for the photo.