Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 33/4. (2013)
Articles
Family Funerary Monuments in Roman Dacia 69 Graves in quest In the 491 family funerary monuments there must be at least 547 graves. If no information is given, at least one unknown grave was counted. Even like this the quest of the additional graves is clear. Only in graveyards were found more graves, than one grave per monument, in 31 identified graveyards 88 graves are counted (Fig. 3). The most graveyards contain 2,3, sometimes 4 graves, but rarely more. At Porolissum for example a graveyard had 11 graves,32 but the most graves in a graveyard were found at Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa. Here a portion of a large, good quality funerary monument was discovered, with 20 graves, with platform for a large tombstone, or inscription, and possibly this graveyard was completed with wooden fence or hedged in.33 In rings generally one grave was found, in the 265 monuments there are only three exceptions: the ring from Micia and two rings from Alburnus Maior. One of them got a diameter of 7 m, and three staired graves of bustum type.34 The other one is 9 m in diameter, and comprises two busti, both staired graves.35 The ring at Micia is approximately 5-6 m in diameter, and two sepulchres were found inside.36 It seems that in tumular monuments likewise only one person was buried. There are two exceptions. At Casolt in one of the tumuli two busti were found, seems that it was the grave of mother and child.37 At Romula in the largest tumulus of the cemetery (18 m x 15,5 m) at least three graves were found, in brick sarcophagus a bustum, an inhumation and another grave was buried. No additional information was provided about this last one.38 At many graves only the fact of cremation was mentioned, but fortunately some graves were identified as bustum or ustrinum. This means that 85% of the graves in the family funerary monuments of Dacia follow the cremational rite, while 7% of the graves follow the rite of inhumation (Fig. 4.). 32 Damian et al. 2003a, 61; Floca - Valea 1965, 173. 33 Macrea 1957, 124, 127-129; Macrea 1959, 407-409, 413-415. 34 Macrea et al. 1961, 361-390. 35 Piso et al. 2002; Marcu et al. 2003; Marcu et al. 2004; Marcu et al. 2005; Piso et al. 2006; Bäestean et al. 2007; Piso et al. 2008; Piso et al. 2009. 36 Damian et al. 2004a. 37 Simion et al. 2003, 105-106; Simion et al. 2004. 38 Floca 1968, 121-123; Andritoiu 2006, 96-97. Fig. 3. Additional graves in the different types of monuments Fig. 4. Grave rite in family funerary monuments (all) The quest of the Mala-Kopasnica-Sase type burials is also interesting. By this theory the graves by their shape can belong to type A, B, C or D.39 Examples will be discussed above. Type A is a long-shaped pit with rounded corners, or with oval ending, many times burnt out. Some believe it got an Illyrian provenience. Type В is the staired grave type, sometimes pitched with stones, and occasionally in Dacia in its inner pit brick sarcophagus was found. Babes says it is an originally Greek burial form, which gets to Dacia by the hand of Trachians.40 Type C can be rounded or oval, every size and depth. This is the most discussable form, but it is frequently present in the neighbourhood of the previous two types.41 Type D is a pit paved with flat stones or in many cases a stone-box without a pit. 39 Macrea 1959,413-415. 40 Leahu 1975, 200-207. 41 Babe? 1970b, 727-730.
