Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 25. (1996)
I. Arheologie
24 ADRIAN HUSAR, NICOLETA MAN pots of the terra sigillata type found at Criste§ti come from manufacturing centres situated in Gallia Lugdunensis (Lezoux) and Belgica (Rheinzabern). As concerning the vessels with applied decorations, we must mention that from the settlement of Criste§ti proceeds a serpent decorated pot14, probably serving to the mithraic cult. These various type of pots and many other ceramic products were manufacturated in the local workshops, as proven by the numerous burnt-clay moulds and one of lead found during the excavations15. In the settlement of Cristesti, there were discovered numerous oil S 16 lamps (lucernae) made of clay -the majority ranging among the Firmalampen type-, but just a part of them representing the local production. Some of them belongs to the import of luxury goods. The frequency of imitations and their quality proves the craftsmanship of the local ceramists who were performing faithful copies of certain famous products17. Finally, concerning the construction materials made of ceramics - manufacturated in special furnaces18- we must mention the numerous tiles, hollow-tiles, hypocaustum tubes and the different types of bricks, among which we find also the 35 bricks having the stamp of the troop garrisoned in the Roman camp of Criste§ti (ala I Bosporanorum). We presume that the tegular unstamped products proceed from civilian brickyards, but, for the time being, there are not known at Criste§ti the stamps of any private workshops. However, the typically local products frame out a revealing image of a certain part of the economic life and of the daily activities as well. Stone Processing The activity of the stone cutters from Criste§ti -among who, Hermeros, lapidarius19, is epigraphicaly certified -is illustrated by the numerous stone monuments found in the area of this Roman settlement. In the local workshops were probably processed the several fragments of architectural elements (two capitals, a window or a door A.Zrinyi, in Studii §i materiale, TTrgu-Mure§, II, 1967, p.67-68, pl.XLVII/2-3. The serpent decorated vessels' problem was broadly discussed by Viorica Bolindet in EphemNap, III, 1993, p.123-141. 15 O.FIoca, in Buletinul Muzeului Arheologic al Societätii de istorie, arheologie §i etnografie din Tärgu-Mure§, 1937, nr. 1, p.15. 16 N.Gostar, in ArhMold, 1961, I, p.149 sqq. 17 Ibidem, p.175-188. 18N.Branga, Urbanismul Daciei romane, Timisoara, 1980, p.113-117. 191.I.Russu, in ActaMN, 1,1964, p.182-183 = IDR, III/4, 133.
