Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 31/1. (2011)
Articles
200 D. PeTRUT-R. ZÄGREANU centre can be identified in the products of the stone carving workshops of the neighbouring roman forts (Zägreanu 2007, 268; Cocis Et Al. 2009, 59). Stela no. 4 stands out among the grave-memorials of this category found at Porolissum. This type (II.A.) shows the influence of major stone carving workshops from the neighbouring provinces, such as Novae in Moesia Inferior (Conrad 2004, 227) or Savaria in Pannonia, (see: Balla Et Al. 1971, 97, fig. 80). A good example for this connection is the stela of Sextus Uttiedus. Monuments of this category were initially made in northern Italy in the 1st century AD, the archetype being the stela of Q. Manilius Cordus from Bologna (Balla Et Al. 1971, 97). Starting with the first decades of the 1st century AD, this seems to be the main type employed in the Danube provinces as well (Alexandrescu-Vianu, 1977, 377). In light of this, stela no. 4 from Porolissum can be considered one of the earliest examples of this type found in Dacia. The stelae from type II.B. (no. 5-6), have numerous analogies in Dacia Porolissensis at: Gherla (Teposu- Marinescu 1982, 131, no. 118-119), Cäseiu (Teposu-Marinescu 1982, 131, no. 120), Ilisua (Gaiu-Zägreanu, 2006, 165-166, no. 1; 167, no. 3; 167-168, no. 4). The spread of this type is usually accredited to the stone carving centre from Potaissa. The stelae with medallion-shaped niche (type II.C.) were among the most popular types in Porolissum, represented by four monuments and fragments (no. 7,8,23 and 24). It seems that the main centre that propagated this type was Napoca from where it might have spread to the entire province of Dacia Porolissensis. The most eloquent analogies for our monuments come from Vindobona, Aquincum and Savaria, in Pannonia (Schober 1923, 124-125). We consider that the main source of influence for the local stone carving workshops in this case comes from Pannonia, and spreads by means of the norico-pannonian population that settled in the province of Dacia. Regarding the monuments which belong to type III, we concluded that these are instances of stelae manufactured directly by the commemorators; therefore this type cannot be linked to the activity of individual stone carving centres. These kind of rudimentary grave-memorials are reported throughout the Empire, the closest examples coming from Pannonia (Nagy 2007, 152- 153, no. 168), though most often they are not interpreted as stelae. The stelae from Porolissum can be integrated in the general context of the funerary monuments from Dacia Porolissensis. Usually the monuments display certain artistic qualities, but their poor state of preservation, often hinders the typological classification. The correlation of different aspects, because of the poor state of preservation of the material, can offer only partial results. The study of the stelae alone is not enough to observe patterns of commemoration which can be tied to social and ethnic identity, for this, all the categories of funerary monuments should be considered. We believe however that some tendencies can be recognized. The fact that the most elaborate stela known from Porolissum belongs to an Imperial slave (being set up by a fellow slave), is probably not accidental, especially as a number of other elaborate monuments, both funerary and votive linked to individuals of this category are known from Porolissum. Another fact worth mentioning is that the stelae belonging to the municipal elite appear not to reach the standards specific to sophisticated stelae.
