Budapest Régiségei 40. (2007)

TANULMÁNYOK - Facsády Annamária: Ékszerlenyomatos római tégla Aquincumból = Brick with jewel impression from Aquincum 45

EKSZERLENYOMATOS RÓMAI TÉGLA AQUINCUMBÓL BRICK WITH JEWEL IMPRESSION FROM AQUINCUM During the excavation of the Resident of Aquincum's palace in 1996, a fragment of a tube (brick) was found featuring side by side with the CHO seal (?) an impression which was made unintentionally. The impression comes without a doubt from a ring. Judging by its shape the ring node would have continued in a marked but nonetheless unadorned shoulder. As it shows on the impression, the gem could not have been entirely level with the ring node. The original of the ring belongs with types Henkel 25. Nr. 157, 56 as well as. Nr. 411. Guiraud 2 (c, d, f g), Henig XII., or Aquincum I. The node was decorated with an intaglio depicting a human profile with a laurel looking right - in all likelihood a bearded man's profile, considering the markedly jutting chin-line. The laurel, however, is unmistakable evidence that the gem portrays an emperor. The shape of the ring, the straight nose along with the chin curtain and the moustache, as well as the round face suggest that the portrait is that of Hadrian. The ring impression appears twice on the brick, which allows us to make certain inferences concerning the method of brick manufacture, namely, that the moulded bricks were dried on shelves or stands. The owner of the ring, presumably a professed follower or henchman of the emperor would have been a visitor of the brickmanufacturing workshop. 49