Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 34-35. (2014-2015)
Articles
Medieval stili from Romania 111 Fig. 2: a. stilus from Remetea-Berzovia (iron); b. stilus from Alba-Iulia (iron); c. the find from Bärlad (iron); d. stilus from Frumu§eni (iron); e-f. finds from Codlea (iron) or because of staying in the ground, were not taken into account. A similar object, discussed in another publication by a different author, due to the author’s ignorance was never identified. It was found in the ruins of the manor house from Remetea (Berzovia) (Cara$-Severin County), and dated to the 14th century (Fig. 2/a)?b Recently, the same object was associated with finds from the fortress of Cara^ova, and were published as ‘hackle needles’.37 The ones from Cara§ova besides having an angular section, they do not have heads with ears to confirm their utility. In Hungarian historiography such an object, discovered at Buda, was considered to be a possible dressing tool and dated to the end of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th century.38 The identity of all these finds must be restored in favor of writing tools. 36 Jeku 1998, 264, fig. 102/4. 37 0{a et al. 2011, 88, footnote 37. 38 Magyar iskola 1996, 227-228 (without illustration); Paloták 2011, 56,1.6.32. Chance had brought in the way of archaeological research at the Bizere monastery (Frumu§eni, Arad County) another similar object. It was found in 2008, and the result can be seen on the following image (Fig. 2/d). It is an iron object of 12,5 cm length, at one end a small trapezoidal widening can be seen, with a sharp tip and a central twisted part. It was clear that the to identify the object did not require finding general similarities with ‘something’ better known but lay in its special features, such as the small ‘chisel’ at its end. The twisted central part of the object excludes it from the family of ‘nails’ but it has to be noted that it was almost impossible to bash in and a socket was needed for a better grip. Therefore, it becomes evident that it was a ‘tool’ that could not be inserted anywhere only superficially. The grip could have been obtained directly from the metal but it could also have been aided with a piece of cloth or skin wrapped around it. In a perfectly similar situation can the handles of razors be found.39 The same must have happened in the case of incendiary arrows, where the twist was meant to hold the burning wisp during flight. The authors from Moldova were not greatly mistaken, in putting forward the presumption that these were dressing tools. Those also needed a very good socket. The opposed end of the tip, could have been modelled as a small spoon. It can well be compared to medical tools, which remained unchanged since the Roman period until the middle Ages.40 All types discussed here have Type 3 heads (according to Klara Solton- Koscielecka)41 and are slightly misaligned so that smoothing the wax on the tablets was more easily done. We also have the opportunity to add unpublished finds to the repertoire. First, let us mention a find from years ago (1966-1968) from Codlea42 * * fortress. The object’s length was 10,4 cm and had a small trapezoidal spatula (2,2 x 2 cm) at the end of the rod, and a part of it was twisted on approximately 4 cm. The tip was broken (Fig. 2/e). A second find exists as well, which seems to be complete (L = 8,9 cm, with flattened head transversal on the axe, approximately oval 1,9 x 1,1 cm). The third find, is only a fragment (8,3 cm) with majority of its body twisted, it straightens to a sharp tip from a quadrilateral section, 39 See: Mizgan 2002, 183, 186-187. 40 See as well: Gilchrist 2012, 78, nr. 12923. 41 Solton-Koscielecka 2005, 231. 42 The excavation of Florea Costea. Non-inventoried finds, to which I had access in the Brasov Historical County Museum.
