Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 31/1. (2011)
Articles
THE FUNERARY STELAE FROM POROLISSUM. TYPOLOGICAL, ICONOGRAPHICAL AND EPIGRAPHIC ASPECTS1 Dávid PETRUT Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, RO RADU ZÄGREANU The National Museum of Eastern Carpathians, Sf. Gheorghe, RO The paper proposes a correlated typological, iconographical and epigraphic approach for the study of the funerary stelae from Porolissum. While the majority of the fragments considered here were published, they have not been subjected so far to a detailed investigation. The analysis comprises the entire sculptural record belonging to the category of Roman funerary stelae from Porolissum. The discussion offers insight into aspects related to stone carving centres and artistic influence, but at the same time the subject is approached from the standpoint of the commemorators (the family and friends of the deceased, and in many cases the deceased himself) thus offering a ‘human perspective’ on the issue, which is linked above all to the practice and customs of funerary commemoration. Keywords: funerary monuments; iconography; Roman art; epigraphy; Porolissum; ethnic and social identity; stone carving centres Among the wide range of Roman funerary monuments known today, the category of the stelae is the largest and the most varied. The stelae frequently incorporate figurative decoration in addition to the epitaph, thus making them suitable for a correlated investigation of typological iconographical and epigraphic features. By means of such analysis, the relationship between the sculpture and the epitaph has the potential of providing insight into aspects related to the social and ethnic identity of the deceased, and possibly about the dating of the monument (Hope 1997, 251). 1 The present paper is part of a larger research project, the Necropolis Porolissensis Project, which proposes the multidisciplinary research of the Roman necropolis of Porolissum, found on Ursoies hill. The most important financial support of the Project is the PN II ID_516 CNCSIS Grant “The phenomenology of space and funerary anthropology in the context of archaeological, geophysical and topographical prospections within the necropolis of the Roman town of Porolissum (2nd-3rd centuries AD)”. We wish to express our gratitude towards our colleagues S. Mustatá, A. Drágán, V. Läzärescu and A. Dobos for their helpful comments and suggestions and to Sz. P. Pánczél and L. Vass for their support during the lengthy research process. MARISIA XXXI, p. 189-217
