Budapest Régiségei 37. (2003)

Kaba Melinda: Római kori orgona Aventicumból (Avenches) 277-280

RÓMAI KORI ORGONA AVENTICUMBÓL (AVENCHES) A ROMAN ORGAN FROM Newest research has claimed that a misinterpreted bronze object found in Aventicum, the capital city of Helvetia must have been a piece of a Roman organ. The story of the identification of the object is not typical either. In 1996 the Römermuseum Avenches was preparing for the exhibition titled "Passions d'Arenes-Arena Fiber". The project did not only contain the documentation of the monumental building of the amphitheatre itself, but also archaeological finds that can be used at the instalation of the spectacular fights of the gladiators. Written sources and several depictions have conserved for us the atmosphere of the performances that had been accompanied by music on horns, trumpets and organs. The museum did not have any wind instrument finds. But Michael Fuchs, archaeologist of the museum remembered a bronze object found inl865 in Avenches that had been identified at an earlier exhibition as a „grill". Might not this piece be a fragment of a Roman organ? After Friedrich Jakob had seen the object he claimed that it was definitely the piece of the windbox of a Roman organ.After this discovery had been made an enthusiastic and systematic search took place in the stores of the museum, and another part of the organ, the fragment of a ventil found in the course of a rescue excavation in 1971 was discovered. Furthermore, there were two bronze sheets with curving ends that might have been identified as springs. The thorough investigation of the fragments resulted in detailed and important information. THE BRONZE PLATE OF THE WINDBOX The length of the fragment is 217mms, its width is 197 mms with a thickness of 4mms. It has 7 original bars fixed. The length of the bars is 197 mms, their height is 13.5 mms with a thickness of 8 mms. Among the bars there are 6 round holes with the diameter of 9-10.5mms. The bronze plate of the six-register organ was broken at the seventh round series of holes back in Roman times as corrosion examinations say On the other side of the plate there are seven stripes lengthwise, probably the traces of the soldering of the windpipes. There are five traces of repair on the bronze plate. THE VENTIL The length of the fragment is 75mms, its width is 22mms with a thickness of 6mms. There is a number AVENTICUM (AVENCHES) 'Villi' thinly engraved in the front side of its complete end. (picture...) THE SPRINGS The length of the springs is 140mms, the width of the boottom end isl6-20mms with a thickness of 2mms. Their edges are bent in 90 degrees. Their function is uncertain, (picture.

..) In the publication of the finds the authors have published the results of their most widespread research. Obviously there is frequent reference to the organ of Aquincum. The disputed problem of our organ being a water organ is presented again, and it is rejected by Friedrich Jakob by enlisting his arguments. As it is mainly the question of organ-building, we are looking forward to issues and disputes of the the oncoming international conference dealing with the questions of ancient musical instruments. Several similarities between the organs of Aquincum and Aventicum raises the search for organ manufactures or centres. The idea of spectrumanalysis of bronze objects found in the larger towns of Roman provinces and comparing the results with those of the two organs, as has already been suggested, could lead us to results. Long periods of archaeological excavations in Aventicum have unearthed innumerable finds. The 5.5 kms long town wall with its 73 watchtowers, baths, temple, theatre, amphitheatre, simple houses, villas of the wealthy and an outstanding richness of finds wittness the significance of the town in Roman times. The palace published under the title „Derrière la Tour" is outstanding among them because a high quality product of classical mosaic art, a colour-background mosaic depiction of Bacchus and Ariadne has been preserved on the floor of a room. Both pieces of the organ of Aventicum, the fragment of the windbox and the ventil were found in the area of the palace. As the circumstances of their discovery are unknown, they can only be regarded as sporadic finds. Finally, may we express our joy at the discovery of the new (old) mate of our Aquincum organ. The Aventicum organ exceeding the Aquincum one in size and volume could have been in frequent use at the ceremonial events of the palace, similarly to the musical accompaniment of the games at the amphitheatre. 279