The Early and Late
Roman Rural Cemetery
at Nemesbőd
(Vas County, Hungary)
Editor in chief
Gábor Ilon
Text edited by
Judit Kvassay
Archaeopress Roman Archaeology 5
The Early and Late
Roman Rural Cemetery
at Nemesbőd
(Vas County, Hungary)
Editor in chief
Gábor Ilon
Text edited by
Judit Kvassay
Archaeopress Roman Archaeology 5
Archaeopress
Gordon House
276 Banbury Road
Oxford OX2 7ED
www.archaeopress.com
ISBN 978 1 78491 048 8
ISBN 978 1 78491 049 5 (e-Pdf)
© Archaeopress and the individual authors 2015
Cover photograph by Tibor Takács
Prepress and computer graphics: József Bicskei, Nóra Romankovics, László Schilling, Tibor Takács
Page layout: Archaeopress and Nóra Romankovics
English translaion by Bori Németh
French translaion by Estelle Gauthier, Maître de conférences - Université de Franche-Comté.
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or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise,
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Contents
List of illustrations ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� iii
Authors of the volume����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� v
Introduction ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ vii
The Szombathely – Vát project and the excavation of the Roman cemetery at Nemesbőd���������������������������������������� vii
Gábor Ilon
Acknowledgements �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ix
Gábor Ilon
Studies on the cemeteries of Savaria and its ‘territorium’������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 1
Endre Norbert Fülöp, András Radics
The site within the landscape ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 3
András Radics
The finds ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
András Márton, Endre Norbert Fülöp and András Radics
Pottery ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
Glass vessels����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11
Bronze vessel���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 12
Oil lamps (lucernae)����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 12
Clothing accessories ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13
Jewellery����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 14
Writing implements ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 14
Iron knives �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 15
The box������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 15
Coins����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 15
Carved bone objects ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 16
Nails, hooks ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 16
Indeterminable bronze and iron objects ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 16
The dating of the graves and related features ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 17
András Márton and Endre Norbert Fülöp
Cemetery structure�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 20
András Márton and Endre Norbert Fülöp
Burial customs ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 22
András Márton, Endre Norbert Fülöp and András Radics
Terminology of cremation burials �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 22
Primary cremations ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 24
Secondary cremations �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 25
Terminology of inhumations ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 25
Defining the rituals of the excavated graves ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 25
Primary cremations ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 25
Secondary cremations �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 26
Inhumations ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 27
Features not identifiable as burials ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27
Grave types������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27
Cremation and the handling of cremated remains �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27
Position of the corpse in the inhumations �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 29
i
The fill of the graves ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 29
Position of grave goods ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 30
Rites conducted on the grave goods ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 30
Custom of grave furnishing ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 30
Summary ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 37
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 39
András Márton, Endre Norbert Fülöp and András Radics
Interpretation of the graffiti ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 67
Andrea Barta
Roman graves at the Szombathely – Vát sector of Main Road 86: results of the anthropological analysis ������������������� 69
Gábor Tóth
Introduction ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 69
Materials and methods ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 69
Nemesbőd – Irtás-dűlő �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 70
Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 70
Vép – Surányi-patak nyugati oldala ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 73
Summary ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 73
Analysis of the archaeozoological material from the three sites at the Szombathely – Vát sector of Main Road 86 ��� 75
Éva Ágnes Nyerges
Description of the animal bone material ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 75
Assessment of the roman period animal bone material������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 77
Summary ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 78
Gábor Ilon, András Márton
Résumé ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 80
Gábor Ilon and András Márton
Bibliography ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 83
Illustration credits �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 92
Figures �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 93
ii
List of illustrations
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Figs. 5-6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Figs. 9-10
Figs. 11-17
Fig. 18
Figs. 19-20
Fig. 21
Fig. 22
Figs. 23-24
Figs. 25-26
Fig. 27
Fig. 28
Fig. 29
Fig. 30
Figs. 31-32
Fig. 33
Fig. 34
Fig. 35
Fig. 36
Fig. 37
Fig. 38
Fig. 39
Fig. 40
Fig. 41
Fig. 42
Fig. 43
Fig. 44
Fig. 45
Fig. 46
Fig. 47
Fig. 48
Figs. 49-52
Fig. 53
Fig. 54
Fig. 55
Fig. 56
Fig. 57
Fig. 58
Fig. 59
Fig. 60
Figs. 61-62
Fig. 63
Fig. 64
Fig. 65
Fig. 66
Figs. 67-69
Fig. 70
Fig. 71
Fig. 72
Fig. 73
Figs. 74-80
Figs. 81-82
Fig. 83
Fig. 84
Fig. 85
Fig. 86
Fig. 87
Fig. 88
Fig. 89
Figs. 90-91
Fig. 92
The location of the site and the excavated part of the site in the future road line
Aerial photos of the site
Excavted part of the Roman cemetery at Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő
Documentation of Gave 1
Finds from Grave 1
Documentation of Grave 2 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 3 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 4
Finds from Grave 4
Documentation of Grave 5
Finds from Grave 5
Finds from Grave 5; documentation of Enclosure ditches 99 /110 and 101 /113 and finds from their fill
Documentation of Gave 6
Finds from Grave 6
Documentation of Enclosure ditch 101 /113 and finds from its fill
Documentation of Grave 7 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 8 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 9 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 10 and its finds
Finds from Grave 10
Documentation of Grave 11 and its finds
Finds from Grave 11
Documentation of Graves 12, 13 and their finds
Documentation of Graves 14, 15 and their finds
Documentation of Grave 16 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 17 and its finds
Documentation of Graves 18 and 21 and their finds
Documentation of Grave 19 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 20 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 22 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 23 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 24 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 25 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 26 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 27 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 28 and its finds
Finds from Grave 28
Documentation of Grave 29 and its finds
Documentation of Graves 30 and 31 and their finds
Documentation of Grave (?) 32 and its finds; Documentation of Enclosure ditches 99 /110, 101 /113 and 98 /108
Finds from Enclosure ditch 98 /108
Documentation of Grave (?) 33 and its finds
Documentation of Grave (?) 34 and its finds
Documentation of Grave (?) 35 and Grave 36 and their finds
Documentation of Grave 37 and its finds
Finds from Grave 37
Documentation of Grave 38 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 39 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 40 and its finds
Documentation of Grave 41 and its finds
Samian pottery from Grave 4
Samian pottery from Grave 6
Samian pottery from Grave 4
Samian pottery from Enclosure ditch 101 /113, Grave 5 and Grave (?) 33
Thin-walled pottery from the cemetery
Pottery from the cemetery
Lamps from the cemetery
‘Lamp house’ from Grave 1
Fibulae from the cemetery
Belt fittings from Grave 28 and iron loop with silver rings from Grave 37
Coins from the cemetery and golden foil and bronze pin with golden head
Glass and bone beads from the cemetery; ring with gemma from Grave 28; bronze rings from Grave 4
Bronze amphora and bucket handle from Grave 4
Knives from the cemetery
Elements of the box from Grave 37
Glass vessels from the cemetery
iii
Fig. 93
Fig. 94
Figs. 95-96
Fig. 97
Fig. 98
Fig. 99
Fig. 100
Fig. 101
Fig. 102
Fig. 103
Fig. 104
Glass vessels in situ during the excavation and after restoration from Graves 28 and 40
Bone objects from the cemetery and microscope photos of the bone pyxis
Samian Ware from the territory of the cemetery excluding the finds from the graves
Composition of the ceramic Finds in the Early Roman burials; Composition of the ceramic Finds in the primaryand
contemporary secondary cremations
Composition of the animal bones according to feature types at Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő (5) and
Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő I – II (6-7) sites
Animal remains according to species at the sites of Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő and Nemesbőd – Csepregivölgyre-dűlő I – II
Distribution of animal remains according to age at the sites Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő and Nemesbőd – Csepregivölgyre-dűlő I – II
Long bone and withers height measurements of cattle and horse remains from the Roman features at
Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő (Site 5) and Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő II (Site 7)
Classification of the bone fragments of identified domestic ungulates according to meat value (based on Uerpmann
1973) from the Roman features at the sites Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő and Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő
I – II
Horse graves at Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő II site: 1. Pit 136 /157; 2. Pit 137 /158
Bone measurements (mm) of the domestic hen (Gallus domesticus Linnaeus, 1758) remains from the Roman cemetery
at the Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő
iv
Authors of the volume
Andrea Barta
Semmelweis University, Centre for Language Communication
H-1094 Budapest, Ferenc tér 15; barta.andrea@semmelweis-univ.hu
Research ields: Usage of Latin language in Pannonia
Dr. Endre Norbert Fülöp
Government Ofice of Vas County
H-9700, Szombathely, Berzsenyi tér 1; fulopendrenorbert@gmail.com
Research ields: Roman Archaeology
Gábor Ilon
Hungarian National Museum, National Cultural Heritage Protection Centre, Regional Ofice II, Szombathely
Head of ofice
H-9730, Kőszeg, Várkör u. 18; ilon.gabor56@gmail.com
Research ields: Bronze and Iron Age Archaeology, archaeological topography, environmental archaeology, archaeometry
András Márton, Ph.D.
Centre de Recherche Bretonne et Celtique
F-29238, Brest, 20, rue Duquesne; saxamus@gmail.com
Research ields: Classical and Roman Archaeology
Éva Ágnes Nyerges
Research Center for the Humanities, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archaeology
H-1014 Budapest, Úri u. 49; nyerges.eva@btk.mta.hu
Research ields: Archaeozoology
András Radics
Hungarian National Museum, National Cultural Heritage Protection Centre, Regional Ofice II, Szombathely
H-9704, Szombathely, Pf. 12; radics.andras@mnm-nok.gov.hu
Research ields: Metal and ceramic production
Gábor Tóth, Ph.D.
University of West Hungary Savaria Campus, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Institute of Biology
Associate professor
H-9700, Szombathely, Károlyi Gáspár tér 4; tgabor@ttk.nyme.hu
Research ields: Anthropology, Human biology
v
vi
Introduction
The Szombathely – Vát project and the excavation of the Roman
cemetery at Nemesbőd
Gábor Ilon
to the National Office of Cultural Heritage (KÖH), the
Hungarian National Museum, and the Savaria Museum� In
numbers, this corresponds to 1.38 running metres of paper
documentation, or 19 DVDs and 6 CDs in digital format�
Naturally, the complete material of all the sites has been
conserved. This is equivalent to 280.4 ‘M30-type’ crates
(20.19 m³), and in addition 108 vessels lifted out in situ and
received by the base at Szombathely� An inventory has been
made of the finds and their preliminarily study has been
accomplished� The geoarchaeological and environmental
historical analysis of the samples from the road line were
conducted and published by Pál Sümegi and his colleagues�1
The writer of these lines, as the archaeological project
director of the Field Service for Cultural Heritage, and later
the regional director of Centre No� 2 at Szombathely, led the
rescue excavations at thirteen sites where Main Road 86 was
to be widened to four lanes at the sector of Szombathely – Vát
(between the 89+250 – 82+270 km sections).
The fieldworks were conducted between 17 July 2008 and
18 May 2009 by myself and my colleagues. Altogether
152,256 m² were excavated. The operations were conducted
by Ágnes Dobozi (2008-2009) as field director of Sites 1,
3 and 9; Csaba Kálmán Kiss (2008) as director of the test
excavations of Sites 2 and 4; Péter Skriba (2008) as field
director of Sites 10, 11 and 12; Krisztina Varga (2008), and
later Zoltán Basticz (2009) as field directors of Site 13;
Ciprián Horváth (2009) as my colleague at Sites 5, 7 and
8; and myself (2008-2009) as field director of Sites 5, 6, 7
and 8.
The present volume is the presentation in monograph
form of the excavated part of a Roman cemetery, which
is the most significant entity to be found at Site 5 (in the
85+900 – 86+350 km section) along the road line, namely,
at Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő (National Office of
Cultural Heritage site registration No. 38574).
The work on site was aided by fourteen archaeological
technicians and one field-assistant, and by Lajos Sándor who
conducted the metal detector survey� The geodetic surveys
at the sites and the documentation were prepared under the
direction of Zoltán Tóth by Geomontan Kft. (Székesfehérvár).
The aerial photos were taken by Gábor Rákóczi� Mechanical
and hand excavation was supported by our subcontractors,
Leveller Kft. (Kecskemét) and Platina-Bau Kft. (Pécs); this
meant the involvement of 5-6 mechanical shovels, 10-14
trucks, 2-3 bulldozers, and 40-90 workers.
The site was excavated under my direction between 6
October – 11 December 2008, and 23 March – 23 April
2009, comprising an area of 23,198 m². Between October
and November 2008, nearly 20,000 m² was mechanically
scraped and researched� We assigned identification numbers
to 225 stratigraphic units during this excavation period� We
were forced to halt our work due to the changeable, rainy,
muddy, and later on the extreme winter weather conditions�
In the 2009 period, a further 3,076 m² of topsoil was removed
and 66 new features were excavated� Thus, altogether 291
stratigraphic units were identified by numbers, which
belonged to 273 features� Meanwhile, aerial photographs
were taken three times� On site, my colleagues were
Gábor Vámos, senior archaeological technician, Hajnalka
Hekli, Eszter Móricz and Ferenc Halász archaeological
technicians in 2008; Ciprián Horváth archaeologist,
Eszter Móricz, Anina Vágusz archaeological technicians,
and Ákos Pénzes field-assistant made up the team in 2009.
The surface uncovered by the removal of the topsoil was
surveyed for finds by Lajos Sándor with a metal detector�
One of the most beautiful finds he recovered is a lead votive
figurine of a goddess� The expert excavating workmen,
led by Károly Czékus, were provided by HUSA-31 Kft.
(Szeged), the subcontractors of Platina-Bau Kft.
On 25 May 2009 – six days before the expiry date of the
contract – all of the excavated sites along the whole area
of the planned line of the road were handed over to the
contractor, National Infrastructure Developing Ltd. – NIF
Corp� I should like to mention that the roadworks only
began in May 2010, but stopped in the autumn of that same
year and had still not continued at the time of the writing
of these lines; thus, not a shadow of suspicion can fall
on the archaeological excavations that they hindered the
construction works� The high level of the archaeological
preparation work and the excavations before construction
is also justified by the fact that no archaeological site was
identified later on during the watching briefs conducted by
us while the earthworks were under way and which have
now been almost entirely completed along the whole length
of the planned road line�
The cemetery can be found north of the former ancient
road connecting Roman Savaria (today’s Szombathely, Vas
By January 2011, we handed in all the required documentation
of the preliminary excavations on the area of the road line
1
vii
Sümegi et al. 2011; Sümegi et al� 2011a�
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
County, Hungary) and Bassiana (in the vicinity of today’s
Sárvár?; Vas County, Hungary), 1,300 m away, on the
eastern terrace of the Surányi Stream, ca. 860 m from the
watercourse, about 300 m east of the asphalt road leading
into the village of Vép. forty-four features (37 graves,
4 structures of unknown function, and three enclosure
ditches) were excavated (Fig. 3). The limits of the cemetery
can be found in three directions (north, east and west).
Among the graves – due to its significance – Grave 4 has
already been published�2 The cremations with enclosure
ditches (Graves 5, 6 and 32), which are also early types and
unique in the ‘territorium’ of Savaria, are likewise worth
mentioning� From the later burials, the inhumation grave
with a crossbow brooch, glass beaker and knife (Grave 40)
must be highlighted�
völgyre-dűlő I), 7 (Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyredűlő II), and 5 to be introduced below. The centre of
the supposed villa rustica protected by a palisade, its
living quarters and main buildings can be somewhere
between the future junction of the Main Road 86 still in
use, and the road leading to Vép, as its stone and tegula
fragments and other portable finds abound on the surface�
The cemetery is part of a Roman site complex, with a second
element that – according to our current knowledge – is an
area rather lightly ‘inhabited’, protected by a palisade on its
south side, with an entrance opening towards the cemetery
at its south-eastern corner (Figs. 1-2). Its vestiges – pits,
ovens, postholes marking surface structures, and most of
all: ditches that indicate the periphery of the settlement area
– could be found both at the junction of the future Motorway
9 and Main Road 86 to be modernized, and along the line
of the road’s main lane at Sites 6 (Nemesbőd – Csepregi-
The present volume, which appears in the Archaeopress
Archaeology Series, on the rescue excavations along
the line of the new section of Main Road 86 between
Szombathely – Vát, is – if you will – the result of the
contract signed by National Infrastructure Developing Ltd
– NIF Corp. and the Field Service for Cultural Heritage.
2
The series of new publications of the Roman cemeteries
from Vas County3 expands further with the monograph of
this necropolis�
The complete corpus of material found on the site has
been permanently deposited at the Savaria Museum
(Szombathely).
The manuscript was closed at the end of 2012�
Kőszeg, 5 September 2012
3
Répceszentgyörgy: Kiss and Szilasi 2000-2001 [2002]; Savaria – Western
cemetery: Bíró 2004; Zanat: Bíró 2005 [2006]; Sárvár: Kiss 2007.
Fülöp et al� 2010�
viii
Acknowledgements
Gábor Ilon
In the present volume, my colleagues and I have ventured to
publish the finds of a Roman cemetery on the ‘territorium’
of colonia Savaria�
The ceramic material was restored by the staff of
Archeolore Kft. – Bozzayné Judit Németh, Alíz Bozsányi,
Alexandra Csiszár and Norbert Németh – led by Balázs
Udvardi at the base at Szombathely� The high quality
conservation and restoration of the metal objects was
carried out by the managing director of the company, Szilvia
Döbröntey-David in Budapest.
In my opinion, it is important to make the data that is
known about the excavated part of this cemetery quickly
available for those interested in the topic, and to provide
new information for the study of the cemeteries of Savaria
and its territory� Therefore, I initially confined the study
of this material to Dr Norbert Fülöp Endre, Roman
archaeology specialist� Following his advice, I involved
Andrea Barta and András Márton, Ph�D� in the project, who
are also archaeologists specialized in Roman archaeology�
The photographs of the objects for publication and the
preparation of the plates for print were accomplished by
Tibor Takács, archaeological technician and by József
Bicskei photographer�
The maps were prepared by my colleague István Eke,
archaeologist / GIS specialist, whom I would also like to
thank here�
András Radics, archaeological technician, took upon
himself the bulk of the preparation of the catalogue of finds,
and the object drawings are also to be credited to him�
I am indebted to the scientific editors of our book:
Dr Endre Tóth and Dr Ferenc Redő, for their meticulous
work, valuable advice and helpful remarks�
This was how the authors of the book assembled; I would
hereby like to thank them for their – in my opinion – fast
and high quality work�
My appreciation goes to Dr Judit Kvassay and László
Schilling, the technical editors of the volume, for their
painstaking and incisive comments, and for settling the tasks
concerning the translation and publication�
I would like to express our thanks especially to Dr
Dénes Gabler for his advice regarding the study of the
Samian ware; and to István Vida and Dr Ferenc Redő,
who identified the coins� For providing bibliographical
parallels for certain objects I thank Balázs Rikker and
Andrea Csapláros�
English translation was by Bori Németh; French translation
was by Estelle Gauthier, Maître de conférences�
Page layout was by Nóra Romankovics�
As part of the preliminary study of the materials, the
anthropological and archaeozoological remains were
analysed� The former is to the credit of Gábor Tóth, Ph�D�
the latter to Éva Ágnes Nyerges. The archaeozoological
study of Éva Nyerges also incorporates the identification
of the avian bones by Erika Gál, and the results of Beáta
Tugya regarding the villa estate (Nemesbőd – Csepregivölgyre-dűlő II). I would like to extend our thanks to them
for their valuable contributions� I would also like to offer
our gratitude to Dr László Bartosiewicz for his helpful
observations concerning the archaeozoological analyses,
and to Zsófia Eszter Kovács for the identification of small
mammal species� We owe our thanks to Zsuzsanna Tóth for
her help with the examination of the bone objects and the
preparation of the microscope images�
Last but not least, on behalf of all the authors, I would also
like to thank the former directors of the Centre: Károly
Belényesy, director of archaeology, and Dr Gábor Virágos,
director-general. They supported my publication plans from
the first moment, including all the proposals for the content,
and promoted its publication� It is not of minor importance, in
these rather difficult and perplexing times, that Dr Boldizsár
Csornay, deputy director, and Dr László Csorba, directorgeneral, were also genuine supporters of this publication�
ix
x
Studies on the cemeteries of Savaria and its ‘territorium’
Endre Norbert Fülöp, András Radics
Terézia P� Buócz, archaeologist of the Savaria Museum,
conducted the rescue excavation of a burial in 1971 in
the vicinity of the cemetery presented below (personal
communication of Ferenc Derdák, geological surveyor
at the Savaria Museum). Its exact location is unknown,
while its documentation and finds cannot be found in the
Museum’s collection.
quality of offerings placed inside the tombs were not only
defined by the social and economic statuses of the deceased
and their families, but were also significantly influenced
by funerary customs. For example, the ‛meagre’ offerings
accompanying a secondary cremation burial could have
been counterbalanced by the pomp of the cremation
ceremony, the ‛wealth’ of grave goods placed on the pyre,
and by the materials, by vessels used for the ceremony,
as well as the quality and diversity of the food served at
the funeral banquet� It is precisely these structures related
to the cremation (permanent places for cremation and
ephemeral pyres) that are barely known in Savaria� It must
be added, that in the case of the burials published so far, the
amount of information known about the details of the rites
(the quantity and composition of the cremated remains) is
very small, and regarding the number, sex and age of the
deceased it is next to nothing�
For the identification and study of the material from the
cemetery introduced in this volume in seeking parallels for
its finds, the most obvious route is to take into consideration
the excavated parts of cemeteries and burials in Savaria
and its ‘territorium’,4 and in a wider context the material
from Western Pannonia�
The research into the Roman cemeteries in Savaria dates
back almost two centuries� A certain chronology can be
determined between the four cemeteries located according
to the four cardinal points: all of them have earlier and later
burials, and all the cemeteries were used for a long period
of time� As so far it has only been possible to excavate small
consecutive sectors, a precise chronological framework
can not be determined – concluded Endre Tóth in the latest
synthetic monograph�5 He estimated that about a hundred
thousand burials could have been made during the existence
of the colonia� Out of these graves, only half a percent of
these graves had been excavated (or destroyed) until a
decade ago� Although the number of burials has grown
due to the excavations of the past decade, his assertion
regarding the fact that not even a representative amount of
material is available to us still holds true; therefore, overall
conclusions cannot yet be justified�
Apart from the scattered publications, limited to a small
number of discoveries, there are studies including
relatively larger numbers of graves from the cemeteries of
Savaria, on which we could rely during the study of the
finds from our cemetery whilst searching for parallels and
dating references� András Mócsy published the complete
material of sixty-nine graves and, based on the grave
goods, dated the excavated part of the Northern cemetery
of Savaria between 85-140.6 Terézia P� Buócz made known
the material from nineteen graves found during rescue
excavations in another sector of the Northern cemetery,
and placed the usage of the discovered part of the cemetery
to the first half of the 2nd century�7 Magdolna Medgyes
published the finds of some forty-five burials, also from
the Northern cemetery�8 The exact number of graves cannot
be determined in this case, as the rescue excavations were
connected to earthworks for public utility supplies and the
observations could not be too precise, or in some cases
the archaeologists were only notified of the discovery of
the graves afterwards� In her study, Magdolna Medgyes
presented several find types previously unknown from
Savaria, and also proved that the Northern cemetery was
used in later periods as well (in the 3rd and even the 4th
centuries). She also called attention to the fact that certain
find types were used later than earlier presumed� Terézia P�
Buócz, while presenting a sector of the Southern cemetery
of Savaria used from the end of the 1st century until the
beginning of the 2nd century, published the material of
thirty-four graves and a significant number of stray finds.9
The chronological distribution of the known cemetery
sectors also poses a problem� The graves of the first
generation inhabitants of Savaria are scarcely known� Most
of the excavated burials can be dated to the Late FlavianHadrianic periods� As most of the graves come from a
few sites, the data give insight into the burial practices
of the community using the given cemetery sector along
a narrow chronological horizon� In urban cemeteries
we most probably have to reckon with the acquisition of
burial places; therefore, the ‛price’ and the prestige of each
burial place would have varied within the cemetery, and
each ‛plot’ may have been used by different social groups.
The origins and social statuses of the deceased are difficult
to determine due to the lack of epigraphic material� The
information that can be deduced from the grave goods
only partially allows us to do so, since the quantity and
6
Mócsy 1954�
Buócz 1963�
8
Medgyes 1977-1978 [1984].
9
Buócz 1961�
7
4
5
For the most recent deinition of its boundaries, cf. Tóth 2011, 14.
Kiss et al. 1998, 52.
1
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Szilvia Bíró collected the material of sixty-four graves
from a sector of the Western cemetery and by dating the
find assemblages from the extensive area, she could also
determine the periods of use of the different parts of the
cemetery�10 The Western cemetery was used throughout the
Roman period�
120, mainly cremation graves were found�13 According to
the preliminary report, both Early and Late Roman graves
were found in the excavated part of the cemetery�14 Their
scientific analysis could open a new chapter in the research
of the cemeteries lying in the area of Savaria� The nine
graves of the cemetery belonging to the Roman period
villa at Szombathely – Zanat were published by Szilvia
Bíró.15 She dated the burials to the half century following
the the Flavian period� We are not going to take into
account the randomly-found burials of the ‘territorium’
(e.g. Répceszentgyörgy – Cigányháza-dűlő)16 as that would
exceed the scope of our planned work�
Among the recent important excavations in Savaria we have
to mention those conducted in the Northern cemetery,11 and
in the Eastern cemetery�12
The situation is similar in the cemeteries of the ‘territorium’�
In 2004-2005, during the rescue excavations at Site 4 on
the northern bypass sector of Main Road 88 at Sárvár,
Bíró 2004.
Ilon and Kiss 2007, 292.
12
Gábor Ilon’s unpublished excavation in 1997; Medgyes and Kiss 1997;
Farkas 2003, 226�
Field director: Gábor Ilon.
Kiss 2007, 271.
15
Bíró 2005 [2006], ield director: Gábor Ilon.
16
Kiss and Szilasi 2000-2001 [2002].
10
13
11
14
2
The site within the landscape
András Radics
The site Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő lies in the western
part of Hungary, in the large region called the West Hungarian
Sub-Alpine Region on the Gyöngyös Plain within the SopronVas Plain, on the southern, slight slope between the Surányi
and Sormás Streams, on the outskirts of Nemesbőd, in Vas
County�17 The Roman cemetery presented in this publication
lies east of the subsidiary of Main Road 86 toward Vép (Figs�
1-2).
By the turn of the Late Iron Age and the Early Roman
period, the percentage of ligneous plants had considerably
diminished; therefore we can state that the whole region
had probably been transformed into a cultivated landscape�
In other words, the clearing of deciduous trees is
characteristic in this region as well as can be said of the
whole of Southern, Central, and Western Europe� This
is confirmed by the pollen material from the Late Iron
Age-Imperial period samples of the trench sections.20 The
sudden growth of the pollen level of wheat among the
cereals and of weeds from plough-lands is a characteristic
feature� This outlines a scene of intensively cultivated and
spacious agricultural lands on both a local and regional
level� It can be ascertained that the typical manner of
ancient plant cultivation had developed by this time; yet,
contrary to the Mediterranean climate, it was most likely
to have been characterized by wheat, grapes, walnut, and
probably sweet chestnut in the Carpathian Basin� This
local Transdanubian form of agriculture is defined as subMediterranean cultivation� Among the herbaceous plants,
it was primarily the pollen ratio of weeds which had grown
in the examined samples; the weeds had spread through
herding and treading�
The surface of the microregion, lacking in microforms and
seemingly flat, is covered with a layer of pebbles, glacial
loess and loamy sediments, and loess� The monotony of
the plain is made somewhat varied by the network of
unleaching, or badly leaching, flat depressions and the
degraded oxbows of the Gyöngyös Stream�18
Geoarchaeological
and
environmental
historical
investigations were conducted under the direction of
Pál Sümegi on the municipal territory of SzombathelyZanat, Nemesbőd and Vát in the region of the sites
lying along the planned new line of Main Road 86. The
present summary gives an insight into the environment
of the Late Iron Age and Roman period within the sixth
archaeostratigraphical and plant developmental horizon
established by Pál Sümegi and his scientific collaborators�19
Dövényi 2010, 377-378; Sümegi et al. 2011, 214-222.
Dövényi 2010, 377-378.
19
Sümegi et al. 2011, 95-121; Sümegi et al. 2011a, 201-356.
17
18
20
3
Sümegi et al. 2011a, Figs. 138-139.
The finds
András Márton, Endre Norbert Fülöp and András Radics
are not published at life-size. The difficulty of the precise
identification of applied ornaments is well demonstrated
in the monograph collecting together the Italian Samian
ware with applied decoration from Noricum, which
documented the applied decorations made in separate
moulds through both photographs and drawings�29 The
decoration of the plate found in Grave 6 incorporated the
use of two different moulds for the dolphin appliqué� 30
Therefore, in the case of applied decorations, we only
refer to a parallel or an applied ornament known from
another publication (see these in the Catalogue) if it was
certainly made from the same mould, or if it brings us
closer to identifying the workshop of a sherd lacking a
potter’s stamp. The stamped vessels serve as an obvious
base to ascertain which moulds were used for decorating
which potters’ wares. Based on the study of the vessels
signed by the potter using C. T. Suc(.), it can be said that
he rarely decorated his vessels with appliqué in the form
of a pine cone (Fig� 68).31 The vessels signed by the potter
were probably made before 85,32 and these cannot be
found in burials dating to the Domitianic period or later�33
He probably worked between 40-80 / 85.34 According
to the shape of these vessels, the two plates were made
after the mid-1st century, thus we propose a dating of 5580 / 85.
Pottery
Imported pottery
Samian ware
All the Samian ware placed among the burial goods was
made in workshops of the Po Region in Italy� According
to their quality, two groups can be distinguished: the
finer Fabric D, and Fabric E with a glaze of lesser quality�
The majority of Samian ware was found in Grave 4� These
vessels include pieces belonging to the better quality
Fabric D (Figs� 11.2-3; 12.2-3; 68-69).21 Each one can be
categorized as form 20 according to the comprehensive
classification of the forms of Italian Samian ware,22 and
into subgroup 20�4�4 with applied decoration� Among the
Italian Samian ware plates, this form (Consp. 20) is the
most frequent in Savaria�23 Two were made by the potter
from the Po Region with the signature C. T. SVC(cessus?)
(and its variations). Among the products signed by him,
the Consp� 20 are the most frequent in Pannonia�24 The
vessels produced by this potter rarely appear south of the
Po in Italy; his main export area lies in the Alps, Pannonia
and Noricum�25
Among his plates found at the site, the right upper part
of the die used for the stamp C°T°S (in planta pedis) was
damaged (Fig� 68). Probably the same, but still complete
die was used on another plate from Savaria�26 The other
stamp (Fig� 69): C°T°Su (in planta pedis) can be found in
Dénes Gabler’s compilation27; however, it is missing from
the second edition of the monograph discussing the potters’
stamps used on Italian Samian ware�28 The majority of
applied ornaments on Po valley Samian ware comes from
a restricted circle of motifs; nevertheless, several moulds
were used for each type, and second and third generation
moulds made by moulding from an appliqué were also
frequent� It was standard practice to continue to use a
damaged mould or to renew the traits for the inner details�
Distinguishing appliqués made from distinct moulds is
frequently made quite difficult by the often simplified
drawings in publications, which without doubt distort the
subjects to a varying degree, as well as by photographs that
The rest of the Samian ware from the grave belongs to
the less fine Fabric E� One of the plates of the same shape
from Grave 435 (Figs� 11�3; 12�3; 67) based on its potter’s
stamp belongs to the L.M.V. Group (the vases of this
group usually show the characteristics of this fabric). The
die used here is not listed either in the CVArr2, or in the
compilation of Dénes Gabler�36 Dénes Gabler summarized
the data concerning the L. Mag(.) Vir(.) workshop�37 Its
products appear only sporadically south of the Po in Italy;
its main export areas were the Alpine region, Pannonia
and Noricum�38 The products of the L. Mag(.) Vir(.)
workshop were most frequent in the Flavian period; the
latest pieces from Pannonia are known from contexts
dated to Trajan�39 We also suggest a Flavian dating for this
Schindler-Kaudelka et al� 2001�
Grave 6, Cat� 1�
31
Gabler 2000, 90�
32
Gabler 2000, 94�
33
Gabler 1977, 146�
34
Gabler 2000, 94�
35
Grave 4, Cat� 1�
36
Gabler 2003, Fig� 1�
37
Gabler 2003�
38
Gabler 2003, 90-93.
39
For the chronology of the workshop, cf. CVArr², No. 1085, 268; Gabler
2003, 94-99. For its distribution in Savaria, cf� Buócz and Gabler 2002,
13. kép 2; Fülöp 2004, 140, 7. tábla 6-7.
29
30
Grave. 4, Cats. 2-3.
Ettlinger et al� 1990, in the following Consp�
23
Buócz and Gabler 2002, 67�
24
Gabler 2000, 75-98, with a list of his stamps in Pannonia and observations
regarding the distribution of the potter’s production 77, 90-94.
25
Gabler 2000, 94, Abb� 10�
26
Gabler 1973, Abb� 5� 23�
27
Gabler 2000, Abb� 9� 14�
28
CVArr2, No. 2028, 416.
21
22
4
The finds
to the same vessel (Figs� 26�1; 72.3-4).47 Considering the
potter’s stamp on one of them, the vessel was produced
by the potter using the Q(.) S(.) P(.) stamp. The potter’s
stamp may be identical with one listed in the Corpus
Vasorum Arretinorum�48 The work produced by this
potter is frequent in Northern Italy, but most common in
the regions of Noricum and Pannonia�49 The cups of the
Consp. 34 form appeared during the reign of Tiberius;
their mass production is characteristic of the ClaudianFlavian period, later only appearing sporadically� Their
import to the Danube Region is only certain until ca�
80 / 85.50 The dating for this piece is also the ClaudianFlavian period, but the Flavian period is the more likely�
plate� Three small Samian bowls with everted rim (Consp�
43) were also found in Grave 4 (Figs. 13.1-3; 71.1-6).40 It
is also possible that these rather bad quality pieces were
local copies of Italian manufactures�41 However, it is more
probable that they were made in Italy, as the worst quality
pieces of the workshops in the Po Region producing
Samian ware; thus being very poor quality examples of the
so-called Fabric E. The doubts concerning the production
places could be resolved once and for all by material
analysis� The Consp� 43 form small bowls first appear in
Pannonia in the Flavian period, most frequently from the
beginning of the rule of Domitian and are characteristic
types right until the end of the rule of Trajan, their import
ceasing sometime during Hadrian’s reign, or perhaps at
the beginning of the reign of Antonius Pius�42 The pieces
can also be dated to this period� Based on the quality of
the small bowls, however, it is impossible to date them
more precisely�
Two burnt Samian sherds were found during the
excavation of Grave (?) 33. Both were produced in a
North Italian workshop in the Po Region, and based on the
quality of their material they belonged to Fabric E� One is
the base of a Consp� 34 form cup51 (Figs� 57�4; 72�6) with
an indecipherable, perhaps anepigraphic potter’s stamp
within a foot-shaped frame inside a lathe-worked circle.
It is from the Claudian-Flavian period, but the Flavian
period is the more likely� The other vessel is a Consp�
20�4 form plate (Figs� 57�3; 72�5).52 Based on the applied
ornamentation, it was most likely to have been made in the
L. Mag(.) Vir(.) workshop as well in the period between
the rule of Claudius and the end of the reign of Titus�
Incised inscriptions made after firing can be found on all
the six Samian vessels from Grave 4 (Figs� 12.1-3; 13.1-3;
67�2; 68.2; 69�2; 71�2, 4, 6), which are discussed by Andrea
Barta in a separate chapter�
Among the finds of Grave 5, there is a body fragment with
the beginning of the vertical rim of a small Consp� 20�4
Samian plate (Figs� 19�3; 72�2),43 which was probably made
in the second half of the 1st century� This rather small,
unburnt sherd was probably not placed into the grave as
part of the grave goods, but is a residual find�
To summarize, we can state that the Samian ware
vessels placed on the pyre or into the grave are the mass
products of the North Italian workshops in the Po valley�
Their forms also represent the plate, small bowl and
cup forms (Consp. 20, Consp. 43 and Consp. 34) most
frequently found in Pannonia� The potters and workshops
identifiable according to the potters’ stamps are those
that ‘specialized’ in the markets of the regions of the
Alps, Noricum and Pannonia, and which shipped large
quantities to this zone� The Samian ware within the find
material consists of pieces produced during the second
half of the 1st century, and the very beginning of the 2nd
century; apart from the Consp. 43 form bowls, which
may also have been produced in the first half of the 2nd
century�
Among the finds of Grave 6, there was a Samian ware plate
(Figs� 24�1; 70)44, also with a vertical rim (Consp. 20.4.4),
which originates from a North Italian workshop in the Po
Region and, based on the quality of its material, it belongs
to the Fabric E group� This piece, similarly to the above
detailed plates, also dates to the rule of Nero, or more
probably to the Flavian period�
The finds from Enclosure ditch 101 /113 contained
several secondarily burnt sherds from Samian plates� All
of them belong to the Fabric E group� One sherd from
a plate with vertical rim (Consp. 20.4) is dated to the
Claudian-Vespasian / Titus period. Based on its applied
decoration which is very similar to or perhaps identical
with an appliqué from the L. Mag(.) Vir(.) workshop, it is
possible that the plate was made in this workshop (Figs�
26�3; 72�1).45 It is contemporary with the other Samian
plate also of Consp� 20�4�2 form from the Enclosure
ditch 101 /113 (Fig� 26.2).46 Two other non-joining cup
sherds (Consp. 34) showing the characteristics of Fabric
E were also found in the same ditch, and probably belong
Thin-walled pottery
Three cups belonging to thin-walled pottery were found in
the find material�
Two forms had handles and one was without� A low
footed, semiglobular cup with everted rim and barbotine
decoration was found in Grave 4 (Figs� 13.5; 73.3).53 Its
Enclosure ditch 101 /113, Cats. 2-3.
CVArr², No. 1765. 4, 376.
49
Gabler 2000, 79; Schindler-Kaudelka et al� 2001, 147�
50
Gabler 1993, 119�
51
Grave (?) 33, Cat. 1.
52
Grave (?) 33, Cat. 2.
53
Grave 4, Cat. 9. In the classiication of Eszter Szőnyi it belongs to type
Ca, Szőnyi 1972, 18.
47
Grave 4, Cats. 4-6.
41
Fülöp et al. 2010, 111, 118.
42
Gabler 1990, 150�
43
Grave 5, Cat� 1�
44
Grave 6, Cat� 1�
45
Enclosure ditch 101 /113, Cat� 1�
46
Enclosure ditch 101 /113, Cat� 4�
48
40
5
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
19.3; 72.2; 73.3),61 but it cannot be ruled out that they were
not imported but made within the province� The cup with
handle found in Grave 26 (Figs� 46.5; 73.2),62 however, is
undoubtedly a provincial product�
clay was fired to light grey, with traces of black glaze
on its exterior surface� According to the Magdalensberg
typology, it is closest to form 106, which appeared just
before the abandonment of the settlement in 30-40;54 its
prime, however, followed later than the find material
which we have for examination at the site� The decoration
of berries hanging on curved vines with alternating
arches on the top and bottom characteristically appeared
in the Flavian period�55
Pottery made in Pannonia
The fine-ware and coarse-ware pottery of Savaria and its
‘territorium’ has not yet been studied. The productions of
the different workshops have still not been determined,
and the typo-chronological system of the vase forms and
the rim typology is yet to be developed� In the city and
its surroundings we can primarily count on the material
known from the Early Roman cemeteries� Apart from these,
we must also consider data from outside the city when
determining the ceramic material� The comprehensive
work of Éva Bónis published in 1942 has now become
rather dated�63 The pieces illustrated in the 1942 volume
can be regarded as characteristic examples of each formal
group, which comprise various profile and rim variations�
The classification of these varieties was not carried out
and could not have been at that time� Therefore, we only
refer to this work in instances when it is necessary for the
definition of a piece, or when there is an exact formal match�
A work that cannot be left unnoticed is the publication of
the coarse ware pottery from Carnuntum (Bad DeutschAltenburg / Petronell, Lower Austria) prepared by Beatrix
Petznek�64 The author, when introducing each type, gives
the Pannonian, thus the Savarian distribution of the formal
variations as well� We only refer to these individually when
the cited parallel is significant with respect to the dating or
the complete profile of the vessel�
A cylindrical cup, narrowing towards the foot in a sharp
angle, with barbotine decoration was found in Grave 5
(Figs� 19.1; 73.1).56 Its clay was fired to dark grey, with
traces of black slip on its exterior surface� There are three
groups of double horizontal incised lines on its belly at
more or less the same distance from one another, with the
decoration between the upper two line pairs�
The only form with a handle was found in Grave 26 (Figs�
46.5; 73.2).57 Its body is biconical with a rib dividing the belly
into two sections� Its rim is tall, everted and curving� Its clay
was fired to grey, with a black glaze on its exterior surface�
All three thin-walled pottery cups were produced with
reduction firing� The vessel walls are thicker than the
‘paper-walled’ Italian examples, and neither are their glazes
identical with the metallic shine of the (Magdalensberg
Fabric E) import pieces. This group was primarily made
at the end of the 1st century and at the beginning of the
2nd century, but it was probably manufactured up until the
middle of the 2nd century�58
Eleni Schindler-Kaudelka separated the groups of North
Italian thin-walled ceramics based on the Magdalensberg
material, examining the clay and the colour and quality
of the glaze�59 In her classification, these examples are
closest to the so-called Fabric E, which are characterized
by good quality, well-fired grey clay, and a shiny black
glaze� However, this classification cannot be applied to the
material found in the cemetery� A similar group with clay
fired to grey and a shiny grey or dull black glaze, often
covered with a barbotine decoration was also identified by
Gabriella Fényes within the find material from Brigetio�60
She attempted to locate their place of production, rightly
in our opinion, outside Northern Italy, somewhere within
the regions of the province� In the case of the pieces from
Graves 4 and 5, it can be considered that they are the low
quality products of Italian pottery workshops (Figs� 13.5;
Jugs (lagoena)
The jug placed in Grave 3 (Fig� 8.5)65 has an ovoid body
elongated towards the top; a cylindrical neck; a relatively
wide, round spout; the interior of the mouth rim is concave;
its exterior curved, and its upper part rounded� The tripartite
strap handle closing in a right angle starts from under the
shoulder, from the upper section of the belly, and joins to
the upper part of the neck under the rim� This rim type must
have been made for a longer period, but it was most popular
during the Late Flavian period and the beginning of the 2nd
century�66
Most of the jugs were excavated from Grave 4� The tall
jug with biconical body and slightly upward narrowing
neck, a round spout, and a slightly everted, rounded rim
evokes the lagynos form of the Mediterranean pottery
workshops (Figs� 15.3; 79.7).67 Its parallel is known from
Schindler-Kaudelka 1975, 112-113.
Mócsy and Fitz 1990, 187.
56
Grave 5, Cat. 2. In the classiication of Eszter Szőnyi it belongs to type
Aa. Szőnyi 1972, 18. For the form, cf. Bónis 1942, XIX. 21 and XX. 67;
Petru 1972, XII.16.15, CIX. 28; Istenič 1999, ad Pl. 177. 2, 108. For the
decoration, cf� Bónis 1942, Taf� XX / 64�
57
Grave 26, Cat. 1. In the classiication of Eszter Szőnyi it belongs to
type Bb, Szőnyi 1972, 18. For the form and its Pannonian distribution, cf.
Istenič 1999, ad TWP 5, 108-109.
58
Gassner 1990, 257�
59
Schindler-Kaudelka 1975, 30-36.
60
Fényes 2003, 9�
54
55
Grave 4, Cat. 9; Grave 5, Cat. 2.
Grave 26, Cat� 1�
63
Bónis 1942�
64
Petznek 1997; Petznek 1998; Petznek 1999.
65
Grave 3, Cat� 1�
66
Istenič 1999, ad FS 11, 124; for the shape of the rim, cf. Bónis 1942,
Taf� XXIX /1�
67
Grave 4, Cat� 13�
61
62
6
The finds
first half of the 3rd century�82 A similar, unpublished piece
is known from Arrabona (Győr; Győr-Moson-Sopron
County, Hungary).83
Poetovio�68 Similar pieces are known from the cemeteries
of Emona�69 This vase may be the product of a south
Pannonian workshop� The shape of the other two jugs are
closer to the types common in the province� The vases with
similar rim shape to the globular jug with a rim articulated
by horizontal ribs (Figs� 15.2; 79.4)70 are characteristic of
the Flavian period at Poetovio�71 The third piece (Figs�
15.1; 79.5) 72 has a flat foot with rounded sides; its body is
slightly elongated and ovoid; its neck is short, narrowing
at the middle; its spout is round; and its swollen rim is
articulated by three ribs� Similar varieties of the rim type
are known from Szombathely – Olad.73 This jug, based
on the grave goods within the burial, can be dated to the
Flavian-Trajanic period.
Beakers (pocula)
The drinking vessels used as grave goods in burials can
be divided into two larger formal groups (see above the
presentation of the Samian and thin-walled drinking
vessels).
The first group consists of the so-called folded beakers. Its
squat version, with a simple, unarticulated, curving everted
rim, known from Grave 38 (Figs. 63.6; 78.1),84 is a typically
2nd century form�85 It is dated in this grave between 140
and 180 / 200 by an Almgren 70 / 73g type fibula. Another
2nd century beaker sherd was found in Grave 28 (Fig.
49.7).86 The same rim type is known from Carnuntum from
a burial dating to the second third of the 2nd century�87 This
small sherd is older than the other finds from the grave�
Its size also indicates that it is a residual find among the
grave goods of the burial� The beaker from Grave 25 (Fig�
45.5),88 with its elongated, downward narrowing body,
represents the shape characteristic of the second half of the
2nd century�89
The rim of the round spouted jug from Grave 7 breaks
slightly with a curve at its centre, and its ending is
semicircular (Fig� 27.4).74 The type is frequent in burials
at Savaria during the end of the 1st century-2nd century.75
Grave 7, based on its grave goods, can be dated to the
period between 140-180 / 200.
The jug from Grave 2 cannot be defined more precisely due
to its missing spout (Figs� 7.4; 79.1)76. Its body is globular;
the tripartite strap handle runs up steeply from its shoulder
and joins to the bottom part of the neck�77 The spout is also
missing from the jug excavated in Grave 38 (Figs. 63.3;
79.3)78� It has an elongated form, which, based on the fibula
also found in the burial, was possibly produced between
140-180 / 200. Due to its fragmentary state, the Early
Roman jug base from Grave (?) 35 cannot be assigned to
any type either (Fig� 59.3).79
The second formal group belongs to the small-sized globular
mugs with handles, which regarding their forms can be
classified among jugs, but according to their sizes they are
more like drinking vessels� That is why Vera Lányi listed this
group among the drinking vessels, in our opinion rightly so�90
The earliest among these is the mug, or in other words a
narrow footed, small jug from the urn of Grave 22 (Figs�
42.5; 78.3).91 These ‘cannellured mugs’ are typical pieces of
the end of the 2nd century and the 3rd century�92
Only a single fragmentary piece from Grave 1 may indicate
the possibility of a double handled jug (Fig� 5.4);80 however,
the piece is so fragmentary that the exact type cannot be
determined�
The globular mug with an articulated rim from Grave 41
is a later form (‘Topfartige Henkelbecher’, Figs. 66.3;
78.4).93 This type first appeared in the last quarter of the
3rd century, but it spread widely during the 4th century and
remained in use until the end of the 4th century�94
Contrary to the above-mentioned examples, which have
narrowing spouts, the diameter of the round spout of the
jug from Grave 28 is almost the same size as that of the
widest section of its belly (Figs� 49.4; 79.6).81 Its base
without foot ring is relatively tall; its body is elongated,
narrowing downwards; its shoulder is tall and steep, and
the almost circular mouth rim joins to it with a rib� The
vessel may date from the very end of the 2nd century, or the
Small storage vessels (ollae)
This category comprises vases with same forms as the jars
but which are usually about a half or a third of their size�
These vessels were not used for cooking food, but probably
68
Mikl Curk 1976, Taf� X� 3�
Petru 1972, CXII.2.7, LX.857.9; Plesničar-Gec 1972, CXVII.509.6, 10.
70
Grave 4, Cat� 11�
71
Istenič 1999, ad FS 1, 120.
72
Grave 4, Cat� 12�
73
Mátyás 2006 [2007], 2. tábla 6-7.
74
Grave 7, Cat� 1�
75
Site at Hámán Kató út, Egészségügyi Iskola, Graves 32 and 65: Mócsy
1954, 169, 172, 186, 7. kép 32. 5, 14. kép 65. 2; Rumi út 72-74, Grave V:
Buócz 1961, 4� kép V�1�
76
Grave 2, Cat� 1�
77
For a similar piece, cf� Bónis 1942, Taf� XXVI /14�
78
Grave 38, Cat. 1.
79
Grave (?) 35, Cat. 1.
80
Grave 1, Cat� 61�
81
Grave 28, Cat. 2.
69
Brukner 1981, Tab. 148,153.
Dénes Gabler’s personal communication.
84
Grave 38, Cat. 7.
85
Krekovič 1998, 36, Taf. 27.9.
86
Grave 28, Cat. 9.
87
Ertel et al. 1999, Abb� 5� 25, 2�
88
Grave 25, Cat� 5�
89
Ertel et al. 1999, Abb� 6� 127, 5�
90
Lányi 1972, 146� On the ambiguity of categorizing the Early Roman
exemplars, cf� Petznek 1999, 235�
91
Grave 22, Cat� 3�
92
Petznek 1999, 235-236.
93
Grave 41, Cat� 4�
94
Krekovič 1998, 36; Kronberger 2005, 157-158, with further bibliography.
82
83
7
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
had ‘multifunctional’ roles (such as storage; or when their
rims allowed they could also be used as drinking vessels).
Each piece was dark-toned coarse ware. One of the
simplest types is represented by the ovoid-bodied pieces
with slightly everted and rounded rims:95 Grave 1 (Figs�
5.2; 77.7);96 Grave 4 (Figs� 14.6; 77.4);97 Grave 10 (Figs�
31.4; 77.2)98 and probably Grave 19 (Fig� 40.3)99� A vase
with a similar rim shape, but with a rib decoration on its
neck is known from Grave 2 (Figs� 7.3; 77.3).100
century: Grave 3 (Fig. 8.4);111 Grave 26 (Figs� 46.4; 74.4).112
Petznek’s type 5.2 from Enclosure ditch 101 / 113 is
similarly early (Fig� 25.3),113 also popular in the given
period�
The vase from Grave 37 has a slightly more rectangular
rim (Figs� 60.4; 77.9),101 which was a common type from
the Late Flavian period until the end of the 2nd century�102
The jar with triangular-sectioned rim is a slightly later type
(variation of Type 6 in Petznek’s typology). The pieces
found in Graves 3 and 6 (Figs� 8.4; 23.1; 76.1)116 can be
identified as Petznek’s type 6.1. This rim type appeared
in the later period of the 1st century and could be found
throughout the 2nd century, but it is most common between
75-125.117 Similarly, the jar type from Grave 1 also occurs
frequently during this period (Figs� 5.3; 76.2).118 This type,
however, is used right until the end of the 2nd century�
The later type of the so-called ‘Auerberg jar’ from Grave
10 is also an early example (Figs� 31.1; 76.4).114 This variant
appeared in the middle of the 1st century and remained in
use over almost a century (ca. 50-150).115
The vessels found in Grave 4 were probably made in the
same workshop (Figs� 14.6-8; 77.4-6),103 judging by the
quality of their fabric� It is possible that one of the vessels
found in Grave 1 was also made in the same workshop (Figs�
5.2; 77.7).104 All the rims of the three above-mentioned
pieces show traces of a black substance� One belongs to the
everted, rounded rim type (see above); the other two have
grooves on the interior of the rim (Figs� 14.7-8).105 These
vases are dated between 80 / 81-120 by the other objects
found with them�
The vase found in Grave 6 also represents an early rim
shape (Figs� 23.2; 77.1),106 which was a popular type from
the Flavian period until the end of the reign of Hadrian�107
The rim type of the jar from Grave 26 (Figs� 46.4; 74.4)119
is also long-lasting. It appeared at the turn of the 1st and
2nd centuries, most frequently in the 2nd century; but it
is even distributed throughout several locations during
the 3rd century and eventually disappears completely at
the beginning of the 4th century�120 In Grave 26, it can be
dated by the other grave goods to between the end of the 1st
century-beginning of the 2nd century.
The form of the wide-shouldered small vase used as an
urn in Grave 3 (Figs� 8.3; 78.2)108 indicates that it probably
had a different usage originally� Judging by its narrowing
mouth, it could be used for storing liquids�109
The jar placed in Grave 29 is a slightly later piece (Figs� 53.3;
75.2).121 Vases with a similar rim form are characteristic
of the 2nd century; however, following the Marcomannic
Wars they went out of use relatively fast�122
Jars (ollae)
The form of the jar in Grave 22 perhaps also represents a
later type (Figs� 42.3; 74.2).123 Beatrix Petznek dated the
vessels with similar rim shape but without the groove to the
3rd century�124 The asymmetrical turning of the vessel may
indicate that it is a waste product� It might be thought that
a vase inadequate for kitchen use due to its instability was
then placed in the grave�
Within the group of jars found in the graves, the earliest
types appeared in the 1st century. Among these Petznek’s
type 7�1 is the earliest,110 which was commonly used in the
second half of the 1st century and in the first half of the 2nd
Petznek 1997, Typ 7.1, 208-209, 50-100 /125. The same type from
Savaria: Rumi út 72-74, Graves XVIII and XXVII: Buócz 1961, 7. kép
XVIII� 2, 9� kép XXVII� 2�
96
Grave 1, Cat� 5�
97
Grave 4, Cat� 23�
98
Grave 10, Cat� 5�
99
Grave 19, Cat� 2�
100
Grave 2, Cat. 4. Similar piece from a Savarian burial: Hámán Kató út,
Egészségügyi Iskola, Grave 1: Mócsy 1954, 167, 3. kép; Dr. Szabolcs
Zoltán utca 2-5, Grave 3: Medgyes 1977-1978 [1984], 180, VIII. t. 3, from
the 2nd century�
101
Grave 37, Cat� 9�
102
Petznek 1997, Typ 7�2, 210�
103
Grave 4, Cats. 22-24.
104
Grave 1, Cat� 5�
105
Grave 4, Cats� 22, 24�
106
Grave 6, Cat� 7�
107
Petznek 1997, Typ 6�4, 205� From Savaria: Rumi út 72-74, Grave I: Buócz
1961, 3� kép I�2�
108
Grave 3, Cat� 5�
109
Cf� Bónis 1942, Taf� IX / 1, with different base and a rib on its shoulder�
110
Petznek 1997, Typ 7.1, 208-209. From Savaria: Hámán Kató út, Egészségügyi
Iskola, Grave 40: Mócsy 1954, 170, 9. kép 40,2.
The jars with elongated body and triangular-sectioned,
vertical rim probably had not yet appeared at the end of the
1st century, but had definitely done so by the very beginning
of the 2nd: such as in the vessels found in Graves 27 and 39
95
111
Grave 3, Cat� 2�
Grave 26, Cat� 5�
113
Enclosure ditch 101 /113, Cat� 6� Cf� Petznek 1997, Typ 5�2, 199�
114
Grave 10, Cat� 2�
115
Petznek 1997, Typ 5.1, 198-199.
116
Grave 3, Cat. 4; Grave 6, Cat. 4.
117
Petznek 1997, Typ 6.1, 202-203.
118
Grave 1, Cat� 3� Cf� Petznek 1997, Typ� 6�4, 205� From Savaria: Rumi út 7274, Grave XXIX: Buócz 1961, 235, 10. kép.
119
Grave 26, Cat� 5�
120
Petznek 1997, Typ 7.6, 212-213.
121
Grave 29, Cat� 1�
122
Petznek 1997, Typ 10.1, 221-222. From Savaria: Kertész utca 43,
Grave XVIII: Buócz 1963, 137, 148.
123
Grave 22, Cat� 2�
124
Petznek 1997, Typ 12�3, 225�
112
8
The finds
(Figs� 47.5; 64.3; 74.5; 75.3),125 which were rather frequent
until the end of the Marcomannic Wars; and despite their
decreasing popularity, they remained in use right until the
very end of the 2nd century�126
Tripod vase (tripes)
A single rim sherd from Enclosure ditch 98 / 108 belongs to
this group (Fig� 56.3).141 These vases were probably used for
serving and perhaps also for cooking food� They were in use
from the Flavian period until the end of the 2nd century�142
The parallels of the straight-walled jar with upward running
rim, with a profile on its interior, found in Grave 14 are
known from 2nd century assemblages (Figs� 36.3; 75�1).127
Bowls (patellae)
The shape of the semiglobular bowl with ring foot from
Grave 11143 follows the Samian Dragendorff 37 form (Figs�
34.2; 80.2). In the case that the development of the form of
the vases produced in the local pottery workshops follows
the development of the Samian ware prototypes, then the
vase can most probably still be dated to the 2nd century,
as it shows similarities to the shallow bowls with not very
elevated rims�
The jars with elongated body, wide shoulder, and rounded
rim, similar to the vase from Grave 28 (Cat. 3; Figs. 48.5;
74�3�), also appeared in the 2nd century�128 Nevertheless,
this type was used with minor changes until the 3rd
century�129 Based on the accompanying finds, this vase
was also made during the 3rd century� The other jar
from the grave has a flat rim (Figs� 48.4; 74�1),130 which
characteristic appeared following the Marcomannic Wars
and is the most popular in the 3rd century�131 The rim
sherd from a jar, most probably residual, found in Grave
40 (Fig� 65.7)132 belongs to a short-lived group of these
horizontal, flat rimmed pots�133
Mortarium
Mortaria were used for mixing spices, oil and other
ingredients when preparing sauces and dressings� These
ceramic bowls were an irreplaceable prerequisite in
Mediterranean style cooking�144 This category is represented
by a small wall fragment, which we can most probably
regard as a residual find in Grave 38.145
Large storage vase (dolium)
This vessel type is represented by a rim sherd from Grave
37 (Fig� 60.3).134 It most probably appeared among the
finds as a residual piece� This fragment resembles the latest
forms of vessels with vertical, triangular-sectioned rims,
the most of which have deeper indentures on their interior
surfaces� These were produced during the 2nd century, but
also appear in strata dating to the 3rd century�135
Plates (catilli)
The dating of the plate in Grave 27 (Fig� 47.3), 146 following
the Drag� 32 Samian form, is determined by the production
of the Samian prototype� The production of Drag� 32 form
Samian plates started just a little before the middle of the
2nd century, as this form is missing from the small fort
at Hesselbach (Hesseneck; Hesse, Germany) abandoned
in 155; while the study of the cemetery of Bad Cannstatt
(Stuttgart; Baden-Württenberg, Germany) indicates that it
was already being made in 160�147 The red-painted fragment
is close to the earlier varieties of the form, produced
sometime in the second half of the 2nd century or at the
beginning of the 3rd century�
Deep bowls with horizontal rim (caccabi)
These are deep bowls with straight rims, most often
made from the grey variety of dark-toned coarse ware
(Knickwandschüsseln, cac(c)abi) belonging to the group of
cooking vessels within kitchen ware� 136 One example was
found among the finds from Grave 1 (Figs� 5.5; 80.1),137
which shows an early rim form characteristic of the Flavian
period�138 Perhaps we can also identify one of the residual
sherds from Grave 38139 as the rim fragment of a caccabus
(Fig� 63.4).140
The small bowls with everted rim from Graves 4 (Cats�
7-8; Figs. 13.4, 6; 80.7-8) and 6 (Cat. 6; Figs. 24.2;
80.6) can be derived from the bowls (Drag. 35 / 36)
of the Samian ware services of the Flavian period�
A group of them are probably imitations of Samian ware,
but the form quickly became part of the repertoire of the
workshops producing coarse pottery and lost contact with the
Samian precursors� Their dating can be estimated as starting
Grave 27, Cat. 1; Grave 39, Cat. 1.
Petznek 1997, Typ 10.1, 221-222.
127
Grave 14, Cat. 1. Cf. Bónis 1942, Taf. XVIII / 25; Topál 1981, Pl. IX. 26. 1.
128
For the form, cf� Bónis 1942, Taf� VII /1, with grooves on the neck on this example�
129
Palágyi and Nagy 2002, 97-98, Abb.15.17-6.
130
Grave 28, Cat. 4.
131
Petznek 1997, Typ 12, 223-226.
132
Grave 40, Cat� 1�
133
Cf. Petznek 1997, Typ 12.1, 223-224; it was probably produced between 150-250.
134
Grave 37, Cat� 5�
135
Petznek 1997, Typ 3�4, 196�
136
For the type, cf. Bónis 1942, 50, Anm. 28, Taf. XXII. 13; Palágyi and
Nagy 2002, 102-103.
137
Grave 1, Cat� 4�
138
Petznek 1997, Typ� 17�2�2, 246�
139
Grave 38, Cat. 4.
140
The rim form follows Petznek 1997, Typ 17.4.1, 245-246, most probably
from the 2nd century�
125
126
141
Enclosure ditch 98 /108, Cat. 5. For a similar rim form, cf. Bónis 1942,
Taf. XXIV /18.
142
On the tripod vases see: Bónis 1942, 50; Palágyi and Nagy 2002, 107.
143
Grave 11, Cat� 4� For the form, cf� Bónis 1942, Taf� XXII�7�
144
Baatz 1977; but see recently: Cramp et al� 2011�
145
Grave 38, Cat. 6.
146
Grave 27, Cat� 4�
147
Heiligmann-Batsch 1997, 77.
9
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
it is most common during the 3rd century�165 Another later
form is known from Grave 28 (Fig. 49.5),166 where the plate
has a strongly inverted, swollen rim with a break under it�
The type had been made during the 3rd-4th centuries, but it
was most frequent between 230-350.167
from the Flavian period, and lasting until the middle of the
2nd century (from Enclosure ditch 98 /108, Fig. 56�2).148
The plate with a profiled wall found in Grave 10 can also
be traced back to Samian ware precursors (Fig� 31.3).149 It
was possibly derived from the Drag� 15 form�150 This form
in Samian pottery was mainly produced between 60-120.
Among coarse ware, it did not last much longer than the
end of the manufacture of the Samian ware counterpart�
A similar piece is known from Tumulus 7 at
Söjtör – Bontabükk (Zala County, Hungary).151
The shallow, short bowl with a slightly everted rim and
without foot ring from Grave 7 was not a frequent type
(Figs� 27.5; 80�5).168 We know of its parallels from the end
of the 1st century and the 2nd century�169 A similar piece is
known from the contemporary tumulus cemetery at Pátka
(Fejér County, Hungary).170
Plates with inverted rim (so-called Soldatenteller) are
represented by several pieces� One of the earliest profile
plates is from Grave 3 (Figs� 8.6; 80�3).152 This form was
already produced in the second half of the 1st century and
remained in use until the end of the 2nd century�153 The
wide, flat plate found in Grave (?) 34 (Fig. 58.5)154 possibly
also comes from the later part of the 1st century, or the 2nd
century, which has a perfect parallel from Savaria, from the
cemetery sector excavated at Kertész utca 43.155 The plate
with a curving wall and slightly inverted rim from Grave 15
(Figs� 36.6; 80�4)156 was perhaps made in the 2nd century�
Its parallel is known from the 2nd century cemetery of
Matrica (Százhalombatta; Pest County, Hungary).157 Based
on the finds from Carnuntum, this type also dates to the
2nd century: it was produced between 120-200.158
Lids (opercula)
The forms of lids did not change as fast as the vessels to
which they belonged� Two types of lids can be distinguished
among the finds�
The following are varieties of lids with rectangular, slightly
thickened rims� The plain rectangular rim, as per the example
from Grave 1 (Fig� 5.1),171 was most preferred in the FlavianTrajanic period�172 The rim, slightly swollen above and
below, with straight walls from Grave 16 (Fig� 37.3)173 was
in use from the middle of the 1st century until the middle of
the 3rd century�174 The straight-rimmed lid with its lid-body
flattening towards the rim from Grave 28 (Figs. 48.3; 76.5)175
was a frequently-produced form at the end of the 1st century
and the beginning of the 2nd,176 but here it was found in a 3rd
century burial complex� If we do not presume that a much
older object had been placed among the offerings, which is
highly unlikely in the case of this grey coarse pottery lid,
this may be proof that the type sporadically remained in
production during the first half of the 3rd century�
The plate with a more distinct break in its wall under the
rim from Grave 11 is a later piece (Fig� 34.3).159 A vase with
an identical profile is known from Grave 4 of the cemetery
of Matrica, from the later period of the 2nd century, or the
beginning of the 3rd�160 Considering the Carnuntum material,
this profile type was dated by Beatrix Petznek between 180230�161
It is hard to follow the chronological changes of rounded,
slightly thickened, more or less swollen-rimmed lids; they
are most frequent during the 1st-2nd centuries, but in certain
areas they live on in the 3rd century as well�177 This type
was found in Grave 4 (Figs� 14.2; 76.6),178 Grave 28 (Fig.
49.2)179 and as a residual sherd from the fill of Grave 40 (Fig�
65�5).180 The tall lid with rounded rim and curved lid-body
from Grave 26 (Fig� 46.3)181 shares attributes with similar
The type of the plate found in Grave 27 (Fig� 47.4)162
appeared in the second half of the 2nd century, and had
become the leading form in use by the 3rd century�163
The profile type of the thick-rimmed plate with curving side
and strongly inverted rim from Grave 25 was used over a long
period of time (Fig� 45�4).164 It was produced starting from the
second half of the 2nd century until the middle of the 4th, but
165
Petznek 1997, Typ 21�5, 261� Very similar but somewhat older piece
from Savaria: Kertész utca 43, Grave III, Buócz 1963, 132-133, 145-146.
166
Grave 28, Cat. 6.
167
Petznek 1997, Typ 21�5, 261�
168
Grave 7, Cat� 2�
169
Hámán Kató út, Egészségügyi Iskola, Graves 12 and 49, Mócsy 1954,
168, 171, 186-187, 4. kép. 12,2, 11. kép 49,3.
170
Palágyi and Nagy 2002, Taf. X. 8.
171
Grave 1, Cat� 6�
172
Grünewald 1979, 63; from Savaria during the same period: Mócsy
1954, 11� kép 52,2�
173
Grave 16, Cat� 4�
174
Petznek 1997, 266-277.
175
Grave 28, Cat. 7.
176
Petznek 1997, Typ 28, 268-269.
177
Vámos 2002, 18, with further literature.
178
Grave 4, Cat. 28.
179
Grave 28, Cat. 11.
180
Grave 40, Cat� 3�
181
Grave 26, Cat� 7�
Enclosure ditch 98 / 108, Cat. 6. Cf. Istenič 1999, ITS 10.1, 99, between 70-150.
Grave 10, Cat� 4�
150
Bónis 1942, 49, Taf� XXI / 21�
151
Palágyi and Nagy 2002, 212, Abb� 11�12�
152
Grave 3, Cat� 4�
153
50-200: Petznek 1997, Typ 21.1, 258-259.
154
Grave (?) 34, Cat. 1.
155
Buócz 1963, 148, indicated by no. 2.
156
Grave 15, Cat� 2�
157
Topál 1981, Pl. XIV. 41.4.
158
Petznek 1997, Typ 21.2, 259-260.
159
Grave 11, Cat� 5�
160
Topál 1981, Pl. II. 4.2.
161
Petznek 1997, Typ 21�3, 260�
162
Grave 27, Cat� 5�
163
Petznek 1997, Typ 21�5, 261�
164
Grave 25, Cat� 4�
148
149
10
The finds
pieces that appeared at the end of the 1st century and stayed
in use at least until the end of the 2nd century�182
of the pyre� Its location in the grave suggests that if it was
a ‘lamp-holder’, it was not placed onto the grave; while at
the same time, it cannot be ruled out that it had been used
in this way at some point of the burial, and was broken
deliberately or by accident and placed into the grave before
it was eventually closed�
The remaining lid sherds are in such fragmentary state that
it is not possible to categorize them (Figs� 49.1; 56.1).183
Miscellanea
Glass vessels
The fragments of a terracotta object were found in Grave 1
(Figs� 6; 83).184 We do not know of an exact parallel for this
object type in a funerary context� Its form resembles two
types of objects. The first group consists of ‘chimney pots’
with openwork decoration� The other group comprises the
so-called ‘hut-urns’ that mainly occur in the area of the
tribe of the Latobics�185 Nevertheless, the form of the object
is not identical to any of the ‘hut-urns’ found there. The
‘hut-urns’ described in detail were well-fired in all cases.
Not even the location of the fragmentary object within the
grave would indicate that it was a ‘hut-urn’ of a hitherto
unknown type�
The majority of the glass vessels are small perfume bottles
(balsamaria). One of the earliest forms is the glass bottle
found in Grave 6 (Figs� 23.4; 92.1),188 which belongs to the
Isings type 28A1.189 This balsamarium type appeared in
the Augusto-Tiberian period, and remained in use until the
end of the reign of Trajan�190 It probably reached Pannonia
through Emona via the North Italian trade route�191
Most pieces belong to the elongated, drop-shaped Isings type
28. We found the Isings 28a variety in Grave 10 (Figs. 31.5-6;
92�2-3).192 This sub-type appeared in the Augustan-Tiberian
period, and can be found until the end of the rule of Trajan�193
The five pieces found in Grave 4 (Figs� 15.4-8; 92�5-9),194
as secondary grave goods, can be classed as the Isings type
28b.195 The melted glass bottle from Grave 4 (Fig� 15.9)196
most probably belonged to the same type, as did the two (?)
burnt glass bottles from Grave 5 (Figs� 19�4-5).197 They are
made from the mid-1st century until the 2nd century,198 but are
most frequent during the Flavian period�199
The ‘chimney pots’ with openwork decoration are defined
as light-towers, roof decorations, or even as incense
burners�186 There are more openings in the pieces identified
as light-towers. Its form also diverges from the incense
burners, and there are no signs of discolouration caused
by the burning coal set in them� One of the characteristics
of this object is that it has only one opening� It may be
interpreted as a ‘lamp house’; thus, if placed in the right
direction, it would have shielded the lit oil lamp placed
inside from the wind� The inadequate firing of the object
suggests another possibility as well� It was observed in the
case of Early Roman funerary pyres at Lyon that un-fired
or half-fired wheel-thrown vessels were probably placed
onto or around the pyre�187 The question of thriftiness may
be one aspect in this case� Less fuel was required for the
firing of these vessels, naturally, and they were thus less
expensive� By this more distant example, it can be inferred
that this was also the case in connection with this object,
and it was not fired well due to the fact that it was only fired
by the heat of the pyre�
A fragmentary glass bottle came from Grave 8 (Fig. 28.4),200
which was probably a small perfume bottle of the Isings
type 101,201 which was most frequent during the last quarter
of the 1st century and the first half of the 2nd century�
We should not search for parallels of the small perfume
bottle from Grave 28 (Fig. 51.8)202 among the early bagshaped glass balsamaria (Isings Form 27). Throughout the
3rd-4th centuries, a form very similar to the earlier pieces
was produced made out of greenish glass, as was this piece�
This later type is usually not distinguished from the earlier
form; thus, neither is it in the works of László Barkóczi,203
nor Irena Lazar�204 The wall of this later variety is thicker
than the earlier pieces� Its formal characteristics, which
distinguish it from the earlier type, are the thick walls
The insufficiently-fired state of the object indicates
that even if it was made in a workshop producing roof
ornaments and ‘light-towers’, it was most probably meant
for a different use� It is likely that the uniqueness of the
object is supported by the fact that it was not produced in
large quantities, but specially for the burial to be put on
the pyre as an ephemeral decorative element, for example;
and was later placed among the grave goods, broken into
several pieces, following the cremation and the reordering
Grave 6, Cat. 8.
Isings 1957, 28A, 42; Barkóczi 1988, Form 85, 112-113; Rütti 1991,
Ar. 128, 52; Arveiller-Dulong and Nenna 2005, No. 299, 125.
190
Rütti 1991, 52�
191
Barkóczi 1988, 113.
192
Grave 10, Cats. 6-7.
193
Isings 1957, Form 28A, 42; Rütti 1991, Ar. 130. 1, 52.
194
Grave 4, Cats. 32-37.
195
Barkóczi 1988, Form 84, 111-112; Lazar 2003, Form 8.6.1 / 8.6.2, 175-179.
196
Grave 4, Cat� 37�
197
Grave 5, Cat. 28.
198
Barkóczi 1988, 111-112.
199
Rütti 1991, 52�
200
Grave 8, Cat. 3.
201
Rütti 1991, Ar. 148, 54; its older variety: Isings 1957, Form 101, 119-120.
202
Grave 28, Cat. 14.
203
Barkóczi 1988.
204
Lazar 2003�
188
189
Petznek 1997, Typ 29, 269-270.
Grave 28, Cat. 12; Enclosure ditch 98 / 108, Cat. 7.
184
Grave 1, Cat� 7�
185
For a summary of this group, cf� Petru 1971�
186
Nagy 1945; Oelmann 1952, esp. 120, where he notes that some of them
were also used during the burial or in the cult of the grave; Lowther 1976;
Adler-Wöll and Sauer 2000, with details on their interpretation, their
distribution, dating and further bibliography�
187
Blaizot and Bonnet 2007, 221�
182
183
11
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
neck and round spout from the group was published from
the cemetery of Alsópáhok – Hévízdomb (Zala County,
Hungary).216 One of its closest parallels is known from the
Magdalensberg (Carinthia, Austria)217 which was made
before the mid-40s of the 1st century. The vessel from Grave
4 was also produced sometime between the Augusto-Early
Tiberian period and the end of the rule of Claudius, and
based on the same manufacturing technology, probably in
an Italian workshop� Therefore, it was not new at the time
it was placed onto the pyre� Most probably it had already
served at least one, but probably two or more generations�
and pointed not rounded bottom� This type was found, for
example, in a small grave group near Aquincum,205 which
was used for burials after 270 / 275, probably at the end of
the 3rd century or at the very beginning of the 4th century�
At Zülpich-Enzen (Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany), a
burial dated by dendrochronology to ca� 360 contained an
example of this form�206 Thus, this form can originate from
the Isings Form 27 bag-shaped glass bottles and its usage
may be dated to the 3rd-4th centuries.
An ovoid-bodied glass bottle without foot ring, with a
flat, thick bottom, and with twisted-ribbed decoration was
found inside Urn ‘B’ in Grave 28 (Figs. 51.7; 93.3-4).207 It is
broken at its neck so the form of its spout is unknown� We do
not know of any parallels for the unusual form of the foot�
The vessel belongs to the larger family of pear-shaped jugs
without handles of the 3rd century,208 but the combination
of its unusual foot variety, its form and decoration does not
have any known parallels� The finds accompanying it also
infer production dating to the 3rd century�
Oil lamps (lucernae)
The finds of the cemetery comprised seven oil lamps� All of
them were found in graves�
The group of voluted oil lamps is represented by a
single piece from Grave 10 (Figs� 30.3; 82.4),218 which
corresponds with the Loeschcke IC type, or in another
classification to the so-called Raetian lamps (‘Rätische
Lampe’, Iványi I / 3 type).219 Based on the quality of its
material, they are probably of provincial production� These
are dated between 70-200;220 here they appear within an
assemblage dating to the Flavian and Trajanic periods�
The only drinking vessel is the truncated cone-shaped glass
beaker found in Grave 40 (Figs� 65�3; 93.1-2).209 This is
also the youngest glass vase in the whole cemetery� This
type was produced between the second third of the 4th
century until the beginning of the 5th century�210
The factory lamp from Grave 4 (Figs� 13.7; 82.1)221
belongs to a less common type (Loeschcke IX B = Iványi
XVI type).222 Its quality is perhaps identical with the group
from the Poetovio cemetery, which was determined by
Janka Istenič as North Italian imported ware (Quality A).
The lamps bearing the CHRYSANT stamp were probably
made by a smaller North Italian workshop also exporting
to Pannonia, which was possibly active in the Flavian
period, and perhaps also during the beginning of the 2nd
century�223
Apart from the pieces with definable forms, there were several
tiny glass fragments most probably from glass vessels,211 as
well as glass remains from unidentified objects�212
Bronze vessel
An extremely burnt and deformed bronze vessel was found
in Grave 4 (Figs� 16.1a; 88.1),213 which we can reconstruct
as a two-handled amphora (Fig. 16.1b).214 The vessel body
was hammered from one piece; its bottom lathe-worked
to make it lighter; and lastly the handles were soldered
on� The exact details of the vessel shape are difficult to
make out due to its deformity (the reconstruction drawing
illustrates one of the most probable, but far from the
only forms possible); yet without doubt, it belongs to the
group of a relatively small number of 1st century bronze
amphorae. These were produced from the Augusto-Early
Tiberian period until the middle of the 1st century; most
probably in Italy, but perhaps also in other workshops of
the provinces�215 It is not a frequent type of bronze vessel
in Pannonia. An ovoid-bodied example with curving
In contrast to the previous example, the rest of the factory
lamps (from Graves 11, 17, 22, 24 and 28; Figs. 34.4; 38.7;
42.8; 44.8; 49.8; 81.1-3; 82.2-3)224 belong to a much more
frequent Loeschcke X = Iványi XVII type�225 This type
appeared around 100 in Northern Italy and spread from
there to the provinces, where it quickly became popular
and was produced in local workshops until at least the
middle of the 4th century�226 On the basis of the quality of
their fabric, all of these lamps from the cemetery can be
interpreted as provincial products�
Burger 1984, Grave C, Nos. 21-22, 74, Figs. 45 and 54.
Follmann-Schulz 1989, 49, Nr. 15, 55, Abb. 2.
207
Grave 28, Cat. 13.
208
Barkóczi 1988, Form 135, 153-154; Foy 2010, 289-290.
209
Grave 40, Cat� 4�
210
Isings 1957, Form 106, 126-127; Barkóczi 1988, Typ 47.b, 84-84; Rütti
1991, Ar. 68, 47; Lazar 2003, Form 3.9.1, 117-119; for its distribution in
Northern Pannonia, cf. Kelemen 2008, 90.
211
Grave 5, Cats. 12-13 ; Grave 28, Cats. 17-18.
212
Grave 5, Cats. 13; 29; Grave 8, Cat. 2; Grave 28, Cat. 15.
213
Grave 4, Cat� 40�
214
‘Zweihenkelkrug’ in the German-language bibliography.
215
Bavdek 2005, 250; Bienert 2007, 233-234.
205
216
Horváth et al. 2012, 190�
Sedlmayer 1999, 37, Taf� 15� 12�
218
Grave 10, Cat� 1�
219
Iványi 1935, 10-11.
220
Alram-Stern 1989, 27-29; Istenič 1999, 162-163.
221
Grave 4, Cat� 10�
222
Iványi 1935,16�
223
Istenič 1999, 150, 152, with further literature regarding the chronology
of this type�
224
Grave 11, Cat. 1; Grave 17, Cat. 1; Grave 22, Cat. 1; Grave 24, Cat. 1;
Grave 28, Cat 1.
225
Iványi 1935, 16-19.
226
Alram-Stern 1989, 40; Ertel et al. 1999, 55-56.
206
217
12
The finds
The unsigned lamp from Grave 24 (Figs� 44.8; 82.3)227 is
dated by the ceramic vases accompanying it in the grave
assemblage between the Flavian period and the middle of
the 2nd century�
3rd century�237 The lamps published from the cemetery of
Emona were probably produced in Northern Italy�238 This
piece, however, judging by its fabric, must have been made
in a provincial workshop, which, after the dating of this
assemblage, dates to the 3rd century, or perhaps the very
end of the 2nd century�
Four of the lamps have potters’ marks on them:
CRESCES was a North Italian master, but the provincial
production of the lamps bearing the Cresces mark
(Grave 28; Figs. 49.8; 81.2)228 began very early at the
turn of the 1st and 2nd centuries, and lasted until the end
of the 3rd�229
Clothing accessories
The earliest among the fibulae at the site are varieties of the
Almgren 70 / 73 form�239 The brooch from Grave 8 (Figs.
28.5; 84.2)240 most resembles the Almgren 70 / 73f type� This
variety was worn during the Antonine period�241 The fibula
from Grave 38 (Figs. 63�7; 84.1)242 belongs to the Almgren
70 / 73g type, which was worn in the period between 140180.243
The lamps bearing the FORTIS mark (Grave 11; Figs.
34.4; 81.1)230 were produced in Northern Italy from the
end of the 1st century until the 3rd� Their import into
Pannonia – on the basis of the finds at Poetovio and
Carnuntum – after the reign of Trajan is to be ruled
out� However, they were made in provincial workshops
right until the middle of the 4th century�231 We could not
identify a well-dated piece made from the same mould
as the one with the potter’s mark; thus, it is not possible
to define its dating on this ground more precisely� The
fibula / belt clasp,232 which appeared in the later part of
the 3rd century and was in use until the end of the 4th,
may give some assistance in the question of dating� The
ceramics from the grave can also help in this case, which
were probably not made later than the 3rd century� On
the basis of all the above, the oil lamp was also made
sometime during the 3rd century�
A formal variety244 of the knee fibula from Grave 20 (Figs�
41.3; 84�4)245 is known from a stratum dating just before
the Marcomannic Wars at Zalalövő.246 The study of Astrid
Böhme indicates that the knee fibula with semicircular
headplate appeared just before the mid-2nd century, and
remained in use until the beginning of the 3rd century
(symbolically 125-225). This variety, to which the above
fibula also belongs, is the most common in the area of
Noricum and Pannonia�247
The ring fibula placed into Urn ‘A’ from Grave 28 (Figs. 51.5;
84.6)248 appeared in the second half of the 3rd century 249
and remained in use until the end of the 4th century�250
The crossbow brooch in the inhumation of Grave 40 (Figs�
65.4; 84.3)251 belongs to type 3 / 4 B in the typology of
Philipp Marc Pröttel�252 The Pröttel 3 / 4 type appears around
330 and its use can be followed until ca. 400-420. The B
formal type is not the earliest variety; Pröttel suggests a
dating between 330 / 350-420.253
The pieces marked by L NARIUS were produced
between the end of the 1st century and the middle of the
2nd�233 The lamp with the mark of L Nari from Grave 17
(Figs� 38.7; 81.3)234 is very similar to the pieces known
from Zalalövő (Salla, Zala County, Hungary) regarding
quality and material; thus, perhaps they were made in
the same workshop� These lamps are contemporary with
the municipal phase of Salla�235 Therefore, the lamp from
the burial may have been produced between 125 /150
and 250�
The ring fibula or belt clasp found in Grave 11 (Figs�
33.3; 84.5)254 belongs to type III in the typology of Ibolya
Alram-Stern 1989, 79; Chrzanovski and Zhuravljev 1998, 77. For the
stamps, cf. Gábli 2004, 51-53.
238
Petru 1972, T� XVIII�134�25, T� XXVII�303�32, T� XXXIX�602�3�
239
The Almgren forms refer to the formal typology of Oscar Almgren
published in 1897.
240
Grave 8, Cat. 4.
241
Gugl 1995, 17-18. Cf. also Kovrig 1937, Group VIII; Patek 1942, XXII. t. 2.
242
Grave 38, Cat. 7.
243
Gugl 1995, 18-19. Cf. also Kovrig 1937, Group VIII; Patek 1942, IV.2.
244
Cf. Almgren 1897, 123-124; Patek 1942, 130-137; Kovrig 1937, Group X.
245
Grave 20, Cat� 2�
246
Berecz 1990, III�1� 91�
247
Böhme 1972, Typ 19.h, 19-20.
248
Grave 28, Cat. 26.
249
Böhme 1972, Typ 51�b, 72�
250
Teegen 1998, 342; Merczi 2000, 265.
251
Grave 40, Cat� 5�
252
Pröttel 1988.
253
Pröttel 1988, 362-363, 372. For the type, cf. also Berecz 1991, Group
15.D, Kat. 57; 6. kép 3, here its use still dated between 350-380 based on H.
J. Keller. For its distribution in Pannonia and the chronological position of
the graves containing this variety, cf. Kronberger 2005, 129-130.
254
Grave 11, Cat� 6�
237
The lamps bearing the QGC mark236 (Grave 22, Figs� 42.8;
82�2) were also manufactured in Northern Italy between the
beginning of the 2nd century and the middle of the 3rd� Their
provincial production began soon after the abandonment
of production in Italy and lasted right until the end of the
227
Grave 24, Cat� 1�
CRESCE / S, Grave 28, Cat. 1.
229
Alram-Stern 1989, 70. For the exemples in Savaria of this mark type with
a line break, cf� Gábli 2004, 32�
230
Grave 11 Cat� 1�
231
Alram-Stern 1989, 70-71; Pongrácz 1990, 114. For their distribution in
Savaria, cf. Gábli 2004, 37-40.
232
Grave 11, Cat� 6�
233
Alram-Stern 1989, 76; Pongrácz 1990, 114-115. For the stamps, cf.
Gábli 2004, 43-44.
234
Grave 17, Cat� 1�
235
Pongrácz 1990, 141�
236
Such as the example in Grave 22, Cat� 1�
228
13
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Sellye�255 A close parallel to it happens to be known from
Savaria� Jürgen Oldenstein, Mike Bishop and Jon Coulston
regard it as a part of the military belt set;256 contrary to
Ibolya Sellye, who identifies it as a fibula�257 The type
probably appeared in the later phase of the 3rd century and
was present until the end of the 4th�258
The parallels for the iron ring decorated with silver wire
and silver rings found in Grave 37 (Figs� 62.4-14; 85�6)268
are found at south Pannonian sites�269 The signs of wear
on the silver rings indicate that this was not a brand new
piece when it entered the grave� As it was found near
the feet of the skeleton, perhaps it was an anklet (Janka
Istenič identified the piece from Poetovio as a bracelet).
If we suppose that the woman aged between 23-30 years
who was buried in the grave did not inherit this piece of
jewellery from a previous generation, but had instead
worn it for a certain period of time, based on the dating
of the grave (80-200) this piece would have been made
sometime between 60-190.
The round belt buckle from Grave 28 (Cat. 25; Figs.
50.3; 85.1; 93�4) is an exceptionally significant find.
According to our knowledge, this is the only piece
with a dateable context belonging to this group�259
A very closely-matching piece is known from Brigetio� The
pelta- shaped fitting (Figs. 50.4; 85.3), the strap end (Figs.
50.5; 85.2), the bronze buttons (Figs. 50.1; 85.5; 50.2; 85.4)
and the bronze ring (Fig� 50.6) indicate that these are all parts
of a military belt� Its closest parallel is a chance find from
Lentia (Linz, Austria).260 A piece from Siscia is also
decorated by pelta-shaped ornaments.261 One of the
westernmost occurrences of this type is known from
Kempraten (St. Gallen, Switzerland).262 Good parallels of
the openwork peltae decorating the round belt buckle can
be found in the 3rd century jewellery decorated with an
opus interrasile technique� Among these, we must mention
the pendant found at the military forrtress of Lambaesis
(in the vicinity of today’s Tazoult, Algeria) in 1960, into
which an aureus of Julia Domna was set�263 This pendant
– on the basis of the date of the inset coin – was made
after 198-209. The treasure could not have been hidden
before 235, and the argumentation that this happened
during the events of 238 is thoroughly convincing.264 The
belt buckle, on the basis of the date of oil lamp265 found
together with it, was probably placed in the grave during
the 3rd century and was possibly manufactured in the first
or second third of the century�
Jewellery made of bronze and glass
The burnt bronze ring in Grave 5 was most probably
placed onto the pyre (Cat. 30; Figs. 21.10; 87.8). The
form of the ring is a common type over a long period of
time;270 based on the gemstone, which can be dated to the
end of the 1st century by the style of its decoration,271 it
might date from the end of the century, or even the very
beginning of the 2nd century� It was accompanied by 20
ribbed melon beads (Figs� 20. 1-20; 87.1-2)272 and a tiny,
flattened spherical, bone(?) bead (Figs. 20.21; 87.3).273 The
latter is also a primary grave good�
Jewellery
A few glass beads were also found in Grave 28. The three tiny,
blue, square-sectioned beads that melted together due to the
heat of the pyre, belonged to the primary grave goods (Figs�
51.9; 87�6).274 In the same burial, three green glass beads
were found inside Urn ‘B’: two smaller ones with a flattened
spherical shape (Figs� 51.11-12; 87�4-5);275 the third one larger,
its side a flattened spherical shape (Figs� 51.10; 87�7).276
Jewellery made of precious metal
Writing implements
Two burials contained jewellery made of precious metal�
In Grave 10, apart from the iron knife with a curved blade,
four iron tools were also found (Figs�32.1-4).277 From
among these, two are identical in size and shape (Cats�
11, 13; Figs. 32.1-2).278 These are probably iron writing
stili�279 The other two implements found next to them can
Several simple pieces of gold jewellery are known
from Grave 28. We cannot determine the type of object
to which the deformed gold sheet with embossed
decoration belonged (Figs� 51.6; 86.3).266 The other is a
simple bronze pin and the pin head made of a thin gold
sheet perhaps also belonging to it (Figs� 51.2-3; 86.45).267 Although both pieces were made of gold, they are
very light� These were the cheap replicas of jewellery
belonging to wealthy people�
268
Grave 37, Cat� 11�
From Poetovio: Istenič 2000, Grave 127.1, 53, of silver; from Siscia:
Koščević 1991, T. 2. 36, of bronze. Similar bracelets with tiny rings,
but completely made of silver are known from the Northern Balkans,
primarily from various parts of Moesia where it borders Dacia, Popović
2004, 41-43, Pl. 2.
270
Guiraud 1989, type 2c.
271
For a similar engraved image, cf. Geszthelyi 2000, Kat. Nr. 217-218.
74, Taf. 150. 217, 151, 218.
272
Grave 5, Cats. 4-9, 14-27.
273
Grave 5, Cat� 40�
274
Grave 28, Cat. 16.
275
Grave 28, Cat. 20-21.
276
Grave 28, Cat. 19.
277
Grave 10, Cats. 10-11, 13-14.
278
Grave 10, Cats� 11, 13�
279
Cf. Harnecker 1997, Nr. 395, 67, Taf. 35. 395. For a summary, cf. Božič
and Feugère 2004, 28-31.
269
255
Sellye 1990, Taf� 3�5�
Oldenstein 1976, 218-219; Bishop and Coulston 1993, 152-153, Fig. 108.
257
Sellye 1990, 36-47.
258
Sellye 1990, 64�
259
Sellye 1990, type XV-XVIII, 81-85, Taf. 5.11-17. On the type see also:
Jobst 1975, 126-127, Type 36 / c; Merczi 2000, 264-265, with bibliography.
260
Sellye 1990, type XVIII, 84-85, Taf. 5.15.
261
Radman-Livanja 2004, 95, Cat. No. 290, Tab. 43.
262
Matter 1999, 195, Taf� 6� 70�
263
Salama 2001, No� Pl� XXXIII� 1046�
264
Salama 2001, 346�
265
Grave 28, Cat. 1.
266
Grave 28, Cat. 22.
267
Grave 28, Cat. 30.
256
14
The finds
be identified as the iron spatulas used for smoothing the
wax surface (Cats. 10, 14; Figs. 32.4, 3).280
The latest type was the small knife found in Grave 40 (Figs�
65�6; 89.6)294 with a long tang, short blade with curved
cutting edge, and convex shaft, which is a characteristic
type in Late Roman cemeteries�295
Iron knives
Knives were found in seven of the excavated graves in
the cemetery sector� These can be divided into two larger
groups on the basis of their haft forms�
The box
A single box was found at the excavated cemetery sector (a
part of the smaller nails and studs could have belonged to
caskets, but none of the fragments is characteristic enough to
support this factually). The box excavated in Grave 37 does
not have any known parallels from Early Roman burials
in Pannonia� The caskets placed onto pyres or among the
secondary grave goods were significantly smaller in size�
The importance of the find is that the parts of the box were
found in a closed context here, which enables us to identify
other finds, as well as the size of the containers belonging
to them�296
The first consists of knives with solid metal hafts� An
example from Grave 15 (Figs� 36.7; 89.2)281 is a knife
with an almost straight blade, its cutting edge slightly
curving upwards toward the end, with the blade’s shaft
accentuated�282 The accompanying grave goods date the
knife to the 2nd century� The other piece was buried in
Grave 11 during the 3rd century (Figs� 34.5; 89.1).283 Its
cutting edge is curved; the shaft of its blade is straight.284
For the rest of the knives, the blade is fastened by a tang�
Two have curved blades� The older of the two came from
Grave 10 (Figs� 32.7; 89.4).285 The cutting edge towards
the hilt is straight, and its section towards the point breaks
and runs downwards steeply� The tang of the blade also
follows this shape� The piece from Grave 2 is a little later
(Figs� 7.5; 89.3).286 Its spine and the cutting edge of the
blade is straight at a two-thirds length starting from the
hilt, then breaks slightly towards the point and arches
downwards in a gentle curve�
Coins297
All the coins in the cemetery are As� The four coins were
minted during the 1st century imperial issue from the mint
of Rome�
The earliest coin is the As in Grave 26 (Fig� 86�2).298 Its
dating is not without difficulty� Among the reference
catalogues, the publisher of the Roman coin collection at
the British Museum indicates a dot between each word and
abbreviation on the obverse (M·AGRIPPA·L·F·COS·III);
however, the dots are definitely not present on the piece
found here� In this catalogue it is classed among the issues
of Tiberius, but it is not dated precisely within the emperor’s
reign�299 C� H� V� Sutherland describes the type without
dots and attributes it to the reign of Caligula; thus dating it
between 37-41.300
Knives with straight blades were found in Grave 4 (Figs.
17.19; 89.7)287 and Grave 28 (Figs. 52.14; 89.5).288 The blade
of the knife from Grave 4 is shorter, the spine is straight,
the blade tapers towards its point� Two iron objects from the
same grave probably belong to the sheath of the same dagger
(Figs� 17.12-13).289 The blade and the elements of the sheath
are very similar to a dagger type common in the regions of
the south-eastern Alps, which has two bronze rings on the
pommel of its hilt�290 The rings found on parallel examples
are exactly the same as two rings from the grave (Figs�
17.14-15; 87�9-10).291 This dagger probably also belongs to
the south-eastern Alpine group.
Two graves yielded a coin minted under the Flavian
dynasty� The As of Titus in Grave 4 was minted in 80-81.301
The blade of the knife from Grave 28 is longer (Figs.
52.14; 89.5);292 its cutting edge also straight and its blade
only narrows at its last quarter�293
294
Grave 40, Cat� 6�
Kelemen 2008, ad grave 165, 110-111, with further parallels.
296
On the caskets and lock mechanisms in Pannonia, cf. Gáspár 1986.
On locks in antiquity, cf� most recently Guillaumet and Laude 2009, with
bibliography and reconstructions�
297
We publish the description of the coins after the identiication of Dr
Ferenc Redő and István Vida.
298
Grave 26, Cat� 9�
299
BMC I, 142-143, No. 161-167, Pl. 16 / 7.
300
RIC I, 89, 112, No. 58, Pl. 14. On the interpretation of Agrippa’s corona
navalis see: Bergmann 2011, and esp. on the so-called Agrippa-Asses, p.
97-98, where she mentions that they might have also been issued under
Domitianus�
301
Cat 44; Fig. 86.1.; RIC II, No. 121a. Ref: BMC II, 264, No. 203,
here there is a line above the consular number, and the division of the
circumscription on the reverse is different from the type described in RIC�
The BMC II, No� 205 piece is similar to our coin in both details, but the
emperor portrait faces left�
295
Feugère’s types B1 and C1, cf. Božič and Feugère 2004, 31-33; Božič
2008, 159-160, pl. 9.11.
281
Grave 15, Cat� 3�
282
For its parallel, cf. Petru and Petru 1978, Tab. XIX. 7.
283
Grave 11, Cat� 7�
284
For its parallel, cf. Petru and Petru 1978, Tab. XIX. 10; Križ 2003,
Grave 20�7, 64�
285
Grave 10, Cat� 9�
286
Grave 2, Cat� 5�
287
Grave 4, Cat� 45�
288
Grave 28, Cat. 38.
289
Grave 4, Cats. 47-48.
290
For a summary, cf. Istenič 1999, 69, Fig. 55, with a list of inds, and
Božič 2008, 158-159, Pl. 9.2.
291
Grave 4, Cats. 42-43.
292
Grave 28, Cat. 41.
293
For parallels, cf� Petru 1972, Grob� 930� 30�
280
15
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
In the case of the As found in Grave 10,302 it cannot be
defined with certainty for which member of the dynasty it
was minted�
Nails, hooks
The 1st century As found in Enclosure ditch 98 /108,
belonging to Grave 32, is so worn that it cannot be
determined for whom it was minted�303
Several types can be differentiated within the group of iron
nails: Long spiked nails, which were most probably used
to hold together thicker elements of wood� These occur
with flat310 and conical311 heads�
A short bronze nail was excavated in Grave 24 (Fig� 44.6).309
Carved bone objects
Short spiked nails (studs), which could be used for joining
or decorating thin wooden elements, or some sort of
decorational element or covering� Most often these were
also made with flat heads,312, but varieties with conical313
and hemispherical heads314 are also attested�
The fragment of a burnt cylindrical bone pyxis (narthecium)
was found in Grave 8 (Figs. 28.3; 94.3-4).304 The object
belongs to a group of bone containers, the bodies of which
were not lathe-worked from a single piece, but the bases of
the containers were prepared separately� In the typology of
Jean-Claude Béal and Michel Feugère it belongs to group
1b�305 In the case of one of its versions, tiny bone rivets
were used to attach the bottom part�306 The bone nail found
on the object, however, did not serve to fix the bottom�
Cylindrical bone cases are most common in the 1st century,
but they are also found during the 2nd century�307
Several other nails are too fragmentary to be classified�315
Iron hooks (their conditions indicating they had been burnt),
which were probably used to hang up some kind of object or
decorative element on the pyre (Figs� 21.3; 52.4-5).316
Indeterminable bronze and iron objects
A round object carved from an antler and bored through its
centre was found in Grave 28 (Figs. 51.1; 94.1-2).308 This
piece may also have been among the objects placed onto
the pyre. Its function cannot be identified with certainty; it
may have been a spindle whorl�
The function of several smaller bronze317 and iron318 objects
and fragments could not be determined�
309
Grave 24, Cat� 7�
Grave 4, Cats. 49-51, 54, 59 and maybe 55; Grave 5, Cat. 31, Figs.
21.1-2; Grave 6, Cats. 10-11 and one of the two nails listed under No. 12;
Grave 7, Cat. 4, Fig. 27.3; Grave 16, Cat. 5; Grave 17, Cats. 4-5; Grave
28, Cat. 34.
311
Grave 4, Cats. 52-53; Figs. 17.3-4.
312
Grave 4, Cats. 56-58; Figs. 17.9-11; Grave 5, Cat. 36; Grave 6, one of
the nails listed under the fragments of Cat. 12; Grave 17, Cats. 6-7.
313
Grave 27, Cats. 6-7; Figs. 47.7-8.
314
Grave 27, Cat. 8; Fig. 47.9.
315
Grave 5, Cats. 34-39; Grave 12, Cats. 1-2; Grave 13, Cat. 2; Grave 22,
Cats. 8-9; Grave 28, Cats. 36, 39.
316
Grave 5, Cat. 32; Grave 28, Cat. 44.
317
Grave 4, Cats. 46, 60; Figs. 17.16-17; Grave 24, Cat. 6; Fig. 44.7, oval
bronze ring; Grave 28, Cats. 29-30.
318
Grave 6, Cat. 9; Grave 10, Cat. 12; Fig. 32.6; Grave 28, Cats. 33, 35,
37-38, 42-43.
310
Grave 10, Cat. 8.
Enclosure ditch 98 /108, Cat. 9.
304
Grave 8, Cat. 5.
305
Béal and Feugère 1983.
306
Bíró 1994, 41, No. 442 and 451, 97-98, Pl. VI-VII.
307
Istenič 1999, 81.
308
Grave 28, Cat. 46.
302
303
16
The dating of the graves and related features
András Márton and Endre Norbert Fülöp
Grave 1: dating is based on the coarse ware pottery� The
jar and small storage vase can only set a wider time frame�
The jar (Cat. 3) was most common between 75-125, but the
type lives on until the end of the 2nd century� The small
storage vessel (Cat. 5) was a commonly used type in the
same period as well. The deep open cooking bowl (Cat. 4)
is typically a Flavian form� Based on these data, the burial
could have been made the earliest in the Middle Flavian
period, but not later than the end of the rule of Trajan,
symbolically between 75-115.
Enclosure ditch 99 / 110 was also dug out at this time�
Grave 30 had been dug into the fill of this ditch, the relative
chronology of which can thus be regarded as later than Grave
5; therefore, dateable to the mid-2nd century the earliest.
Grave 6: the Samian ware plate (Cat. 1) in the grave is
from the Neronian-Flavian period, but a dating into the
Flavian era is more likely� The glass balsamarium (Cat�
8) is common from the Augustan period until the reign of
Trajan, later only appearing sporadically� Based on these,
the burial was most likely made under the Flavian period
(symbolically 70-100); and if the Samian pottery was
placed into the grave as an older piece, the upper limit can
even be set to the Trajanic era (70-100 / 120).
Grave 2: dateable by the coarse ware� The rim of the jug
(Cat. 1) is missing, so it cannot be precisely dated. The
type of the small storage vase (Cat. 4) can be found from
the Late Flavian period until the end of the 2nd century�
Therefore, the burial dates from 80-200.
The Roman finds from the fill of the adjoining Enclosure
ditch 101 / 113 cannot be clearly associated with it; that is,
there were no joining pottery sherds from the grave and the
ditch, even though a number of the objects date to the same
period as the burial� The secondarily burnt Samian sherds
from the fill of the ditch (Cats. 1-3) infer that sometime
in the Claudian-Flavian period, or if they had used older
pottery then a little later, a funeral pyre may have stood
nearby, an offering made there, or these could have been
the burnt utensils of a funeral banquet or libation held when
the grave was made or when visited afterwards�
Grave 3: dateable by the coarse ware pottery� The jar (Cat�
2) represented by a sherd found in the grave was produced
at the end of the 1st century or during the 2nd century, and
is most frequent between 75-125. This sherd, however, may
be residual among the material from the grave� The plate
with inverted rim (Cat. 4) was a type manufactured from the
Late Flavian period until the end of the 2nd century� Based
on this, the burial’s date can be placed between 80-200, but
most probably it was carried out between 80-125.
Grave 4: the As of Titus (Cat. 44) serves as a terminus post
quem (80 / 81). The Samian plates, the cup with barbotine
decoration, and the oil lamp serve with the most dating
value among the pottery� The stamped Samian plates
belonging to the C.T.Suc(.) Group were probably not made
after 85 (Cats. 2-3). The latest pieces from the L.M.V. group
were still in use at the beginning of the 2nd century (Cat�
1). The factory lamp (Cat. 10) is from the Flavian-Trajanic
period. Consequently, the funeral(s) were made during the
reign of Domitian, or perhaps that of Trajan, symbolically
between 80 / 81-120.
Grave 7: based on the jug (Cat. 1) and the plate (Cat. 2) the
funeral was made in the last quarter of the 1st century or
during the 2nd century�
Grave 8: the bronze fibula (Cat. 4) was mainly produced
and used between 140 and 180. The form of the bone pyxis
(Cat. 5) was most common in the 1st century, but they
appear in the 2nd century as well� This object can also be
older than the rest of the find material of the grave� The
small fragment of the glass vessel (Cat. 3) from the grave is
probably a residual find� The burial, therefore, was carried
out after the rule of Hadrian at the earliest (symbolically
ca. 140). Considering that an adult was buried in the grave,
who may have worn the fibula for a longer period of time,
the burial may have been carried out sometime between
140-180 / 200.
Grave 5: the small Samian ware fragment (Cat. 1) can be
regarded as a residual find within the material� The form
of the bronze ring (Cat. 30) does not allow for a more
precise dating, the gemstone set in it was made at the end
of the 1st century. The thin-walled cup (Cat. 2) was most
common at the end of the 1st century and the beginning of
the 2nd century, but was probably in use until the middle
of the 2nd century� The bronze ring was unfortunately
burnt and so it cannot be determined whether it had been
a new piece, or if it had been placed into the grave already
used� Consequently, the burial can be dated between the
end of the 1st century and the middle of the 2nd century,
symbolically between 80-150.
Grave 9: the grey coarse ware placed in the grave as
funerary offerings were too fragmentary to be defined more
precisely within the Roman period� The cemetery sector is
probably not older than the second half of the 1st century
and possibly it had not been used following the first quarter
of the 5th century� Therefore, the burial cannot be dated
within this period�
17
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Grave 18: no finds were excavated from the burial� The
cemetery sector is probably not older than the second
half of the 1st century and possibly it had not been used
following the first quarter of the 5th century� Therefore, the
burial cannot be dated within this period�
Grave 10: the burial is dated to 69 / 96 post quem by the
coin (Cat. 8) issued during the Flavian Dynasty. The oil
lamp (Cat. 1) is a form manufactured over a relatively long
period (70-200). The jar (Cat. 2) is not produced after 150;
the plate fragment (Cat. 4) follows a Samian form popular
between 60-120. The form of the small storage vessel goes
out of fashion after 100 /125� The glass balsamaria (Cats�
6-7) are also common during Trajan’s reign. Thus, the
burial can be dated between 69 / 96-125.
Grave 19: the basis of the dating is given by the small
storage vase (Cat. 2), which was typical of the second half
of the 1st century, but perhaps it is still in use in the early
2nd century�
Grave 11: the oil lamp (Cat. 1) in the assemblage dates
between 100-300. The plate with inward curving rim and
sharply profiled body(Cat. 5) was frequent at the end of
the 2nd century, and the first third of the 3rd century� The
semiglobular bowl (Cat. 4) was more or less contemporary
with the plate� No exact parallel could be found for the
jar’s profile and the shape of its rim. On the other hand,
the appearance of this type of belt clasp / fibula (Cat. 6) is
dated by research to the later part of the 3rd century� Its
position in the tomb ruled out its interpretation as a residual
find among the grave goods (for example, due to tillage).
Therefore, the dating of the metal find and the pottery
varies� Thus, either the belt clasp / fibula appeared earlier
than what is supposed in the bibliography, or older vases
were used for the burial� On the basis of the above, we can
tentatively date the burial to the 3rd century, perhaps to the
end of the first third, or to the second third of the century�
Grave 20: the production of the bronze fibula (Cat. 2) can be
placed between 125-225. Considering the age of the deceased
as well, we can date the burial between 125-225 / 250.
Grave 21: the small storage vase (Cat. 1) in grey coarse ware
cannot be dated more precisely within the Roman period�
The cemetery sector is probably not older than the second
half of the 1st century and possibly it had not been used
following the first quarter of the 5th century� Therefore, the
burial cannot be dated within this period�
Grave 22: the burial can be dated by the oil lamp and pottery�
The oil lamp (Cat. 1) was possibly made in a workshop
between 100-250. The ribbed jugs / mugs with handle (such
as Cat. 3) appeared at the very end of the 2nd century, but
are characteristic of the 3rd century� The dark toned coarse
ware jar (Cat. 2) is from the 3rd century. Based on these,
the burial can be dated between 200-250 / 275.
Grave 12: the only find, an iron nail does not help in dating
the burial� The cemetery sector is probably not older than
the second half of the 1st century and possibly it had not
been used following the first quarter of the 5th century�
Therefore, the burial cannot be dated within this period�
Grave 23: the production of the two grey coarse ware
vases (Cats. 1-2) in the grave cannot be determined more
precisely within the Roman period� The cemetery sector is
probably not older than the second half of the 1st century
and possibly it had not been used following the first quarter
of the 5th century� Therefore, the burial cannot be dated
within this period�
Grave 13: the glass bead and the iron nail are insufficient
for determining the date of the burial� The cemetery sector
is probably not older than the second half of the 1st century
and possibly it had not been used following the first quarter
of the 5th century� Therefore, the burial cannot be dated
within this period�
Grave 24: the unsigned factory lamp (Cat. 1) belongs to
a type produced between 100-350. The small bowl with
everted rim (Cat. 3) was a common form between 70 and
150� The rest of the pottery vessels found in the burial
are so fragmentary that their production date cannot be
determined� Based on the above, the burial can be dated
between 70-150.
Grave 14: the burial can be dated to the 2nd century based
on the grey coarse ware jar (Cat. 1).
Grave 15: based on the coarse ware plate (Cat. 2), the
funeral was possibly made between 120-200.
Grave 25: the grave can be dated on the basis of the grey
coarse ware plate (Cat. 4) and beaker (Cat. 5). However,
neither of the two can be dated with too much precision�
Both vessels were made after the first half of the 2nd
century� The plate is one of the leading formal types of the
3rd century, but it can be found later as well� Based on these
data, we can tentatively date the burial between 150-350,
but most probably it was carried out in the 3rd century�
Grave 16: among the finds from the disturbed grave, a grey
coarse ware lid fragment (Cat. 4) can be dated. This type
was produced from the middle of the 1st century until the
mid-3rd century. Supposing that a vessel previously already
in use had been placed into the grave, the period between
50-250 / 275 is suggested for the burial.
Grave 17: the only find that can be dated more precisely
is the factory lamp (Cat. 1), which was possibly produced
sometime between 125 / 150 and 250� We can only suggest
the same date for the burial as well�
Grave 26: the As (Cat. 9) was minted at least 40 years before
it was deposited in the grave� Based on the glass balsamarium
(Cat. 8), the grave cannot be older than the second half of the
1st century; while the ceramics (Cats. 1, 5, 7) indicate a date
not earlier than the end of the 1st century� The lid type (Cat�
18
The dating of the graves and related features
7) is not younger than the end of the 2nd century. The thinwalled drinking cup (Cat. 1) was most likely made at the end
of the 1st century-the first half of the 2nd century, and most
likely it was placed among the grave goods accompanying
the child in the same period�
The fill of Enclosure ditch 98 / 108 contained a 1st century
bronze coin, which however does not help in identifying
the time of its filling up (whether a natural or man-made
process).
Grave 27: the plate following the Drag� 32 form (Cat�
4) could not have been made earlier than the Samian
prototypes� The Samian workshops started producing this
plate form sometime between 140 and 160� The grey coarse
ware jar (Cat. 2) is from the 2nd century; however, this rim
shape quickly goes out of fashion after the Marcomannic
Wars. The profile type of the plate with inverted rim (Cat. 5)
appeared in the second half of the 2nd century and becomes
the leading form throughout the 3rd century� Thus, we can
date the grave complex to the second half of the 2nd century�
Grave (?) 34: the grey ceramic plate (Cat. 1) was probably
made in the last quarter of the 1st century or during the
2nd century� Therefore, we suggest a dating for the feature
between 75-200 (?).
Grave (?) 33: based on the Samian ware vessels (Cats. 1-2)
the burial can be dated to between 40-100, most probably
sometime between 70-100.
Grave (?) 35: it had been partially destroyed by agricultural
cultivation. The painted (?) jug fragment fired to a greyishyellow from its fill is probably Early Roman ware�
Grave 28: the factory lamp (Cat. 1) and one of the jars (Cat.
3) were made between the beginning of the 2nd century and
the end of the 3rd century. The form of the other jar (Cat. 4)
appeared after the Marcomannic Wars and lived on until the
end of the 3rd century. The plate with inverted rim (Cat. 6)
is a type used in the 3rd-4th centuries; however, it is most
frequent in the 3rd century. The jug (Cat. 2) was probably
also made after the Marcomannic Wars, but not later than
the first half of the 3rd century� The inner stratigraphy of
the grave and the position of the grave goods indicate that a
relatively short period had lapsed between the interment of
the two urns� Based on the above, the urns were probably
deposited in the grave between 200-300.
Grave 36: a fragment of a Roman vase (Cat. 1) was found in
the grave, but it did not preserve any characteristic details,
thus, we cannot date it more precisely� The cemetery sector
is probably not older than the second half of the 1st century
and possibly it had not been used following the first quarter
of the 5th century� Therefore, the burial cannot be dated
within this period�
Grave 37: the burial is dated by the small storage vase
(Cat. 9) in grey coarse ware. This type was made from the
Middle Flavian period until the end of the 2nd century (80200). Therefore, it is likely that the grave was also made
during this period�
Grave 29: based on the jar (Cat. 1), the burial dates to the
2nd century, most probably between 100-180.
Grave 38: the fibula (Cat. 7) worn by the man aged between
26-35 years was mainly made and used between 140-180.
Considering the age of the deceased, the burial can hardly
be younger than the end of the 2nd century� Thus, the dating
of the grave is suggested to fall between 140-180 / 200.
Grave 30: the burial was dug into the fill of the ditch
surrounding Grave 5; thus, the burial must have been
carried out after the ditch had been dug out at the earliest
(symbolically 80-150 post quem). However, most likely
the grave was made later than this date, when the enclosure
ditch had lost its function (according to our opinion, at least
a generation after the burial of Grave 5, so after 175 the
earliest). The finds from the grave itself do not help in giving
a more precise dating to the burial, as the grave heavily
damaged by agricultural cultivation only contained residual
prehistoric pottery�
Grave 39: the dating of the burial is based on the grey
coarse ware jar (Cat. 1). Its rim type was commonly used
during the 2nd century�
Grave 40: the crossbow brooch (Cat. 5) worn by the
man aged between 40-49 years was in fashion between
330 / 350-420. The upturned truncated cone-shaped beaker
(Cat. 4) dates between 335-425, which coincides with the
dating suggested by the usage of the fibula as well� The
burial was probably made between 350-420. If the goods
interred had already been used, and bearing in mind the age
of the deceased, the burial may even have happened after
420, but it cannot be younger than the first half of the 5th
century� Based on the above, the deceased would have been
interred between 330 / 335-420 / 450.
Grave 31: no characteristic parts are preserved of the Roman
pottery found in the grave (Cat. 1); thus, we cannot date them
more precisely� The cemetery sector is probably not older
than the second half of the 1st century and possibly it had
not been used following the first quarter of the 5th century�
Therefore, the burial cannot be dated within this period�
Grave (?) 32: its fill did not contain any finds that could
help in dating the feature� Its position indicates that it
formed a system with Enclosure ditch 98 / 108� Thus, it
is approximately contemporary with Grave 5, which is
dateable between 75-125.
Grave 41: the mug with an incised horizontal line parallel
with the upper and lower edges of the external face of the
rim (Cat. 4) is a characteristic Late Roman form, which was
in use from the last quarter of the 3rd century until the end
of the 4th century�
19
Cemetery structure
András Márton and Endre Norbert Fülöp
As we do not know the full extent of the cemetery, our
conclusions can only be very conjectural� Nevertheless,
some characteristics are prominent when observing the
cemetery map. The lack of burials in the north-western
and south-eastern sector of the excavated area is one
feature; and another is the east-north-eastern by southsouth-western axis defining the Early Roman cemetery.
It is most likely that a natural or man-made feature
indicating an east-north-eastern by south-south-western
organization had an effect on the location of the burials
(landscape feature, a road leading in this direction, a
privileged burial in the unexcavated area of the cemetery,
etc.). A road was found at the western end of the site,
which runs across the Surányi Stream and is parallel to
the Savaria – Bassiana(?) – Arrabona road about 1 km to
the south� The two roads are connected by another road,
the crossroad of which had also appeared at the site� The
settlement (villa rustica?) belonging to the cemetery
fits into this system� Most likely, this system of the use
of space and the geological conditions had directly or
indirectly influenced the development of the cemetery
structure�
This is indicated by the fact that the burials surrounded by
an enclosure ditch representing one of the earliest horizons
of the site are aligned to this axis, just as the location of the
pyre built into a ditch near Grave 4. The ‘entrances’ of the
enclosures are designated by a straight line at a right angle
to this axis, with which the above-mentioned pyre built into
a ditch is also parallel�
It is interesting to observe that the burials belonging to the
earliest known horizon of the cemetery were located in two
groups. Firstly, the burials (Graves 5, 6 and 32) situated next
to one another separated by a ditch that obviously determine
the position of Graves 1, 2, 3, 10, 37 and 38, which are
partly contemporary, while some are a little younger� We
can also say that these were probably the burials of the
1st-3rd generations. This group was respected during a
relatively long period� Grave 30 was dug into the filled up
(either a natural or man-made process) enclosure ditch of
Grave 5� This grave cannot be dated more precisely, but on
a stratigraphical basis it cannot be older than the second
half of the 2nd century� The fact that 2nd century graves
(e.g. Graves 8 and 38) usually took into consideration such
graves that were surrounded by enclosure ditches may infer
that Grave 30 was a later burial�
Grave 4 diverges from this group� At the moment, we
do not have any convincing explanations for this� It may
have been a privileged burial, perhaps with a larger area
belonging to it� This is supported by the type of grave, its
size and the richness of its grave goods� The two graves
from the same horizon, Grave 19 and the perhaps slightly
later Grave 24 are relatively farther away from it�
The study of the grave group in the south-western part of
the cemetery sector is hindered by the fact that a number
of burials were disturbed by agricultural cultivation or are
lacking well-dateable grave goods; therefore, they can only
be placed within wide time limits (Graves 12, 13, 18, 21,
23, 31 and 36). The burials of Graves 17 and 29 can only be
dated inaccurately as well�
This group may develop linearly from Grave 4 in a northwestern direction� After the already mentioned Graves 19
and 24 towards the north and north-west we find a row of 2nd
century burials: Graves 15, 27, 29, 14, 39 and perhaps also
34 and 26� A closed group of 3rd century burials connects to
this horizon: Graves 11, 22, 28 and a little further away 25.
In the last quarter of the 3rd century, or perhaps already in
the 4th, this linear development ceases for reasons currently
unclear, and the youngest burials are located at the southern
edge of this group (Graves 40 and 41). A number of the 4thcentury graves are perhaps to be located in this sector, but
more to the south of the excavated area�
No carved stone monuments were discovered and we are
not aware of any previous data referring to any having
been found in this area� Therefore, we must think that
graves were not marked in such a way in the community
(although, we cannot rule out the possibility that the
stelae were made of wood). We must also consider the
existence of mounds (which are not tumuli, of course).
The enclosure ditches of the burials also visibly indicated
the restricted areas belonging to them� We know of similar
ditches at various cemeteries in Pannonia, mostly from the
northern part of the province. The closest to Nemesbőd are
the sites of Hegyeshalom (Győr-Moson-Sopron County,
Hungary),319 Mannersdorf (Lower Austria),320 Halbturn
(Burgenland, Austria)321 and Alsópáhok�322 While they can
also be found also at other Transdanubian sites at Budaörs
(Pest County, Hungary),323 Nagytétény (Budapest,
Hungary)324 and Halimba (Veszprém County, Hungary).325
Figler and Vaday 1998, 8-27.
Ubl 1974, 415-426.
321
Scharrer and Draganits 1996, 18-19.
322
Horváth et al. 2012, 177-178.
323
Ottományi 2005, 42�
324
Beszédes and Szilas 2007, 233-247.
325
Bónis 1960, 94�
319
320
Cemetery structure
Budaörs, Halimba, Mannersdorf, Nagytétény); while the
grave goods may also indicate an immigrant population,
or one mixing with the indigenous peoples (at Alsópáhok,
Halbturn, Hegyeshalom).
In the case of the majority of the sites, based on the
graves including epigraphic material or weapons among
the grave goods, we can assume the presence of veterans
(as well as their family members of course, at Alsópáhok,
21
Burial customs
András Márton, Endre Norbert Fülöp and András Radics
This sector of the cemetery was used for burial both in
the Early Roman and during the Late Roman periods� The
chronological distribution of the graves indicates that the
cemetery was continuously in use; that is, the settlement
connecting to the cemetery may have existed from the
Flavian period at the latest until the 4th century� Therefore,
the burial rites and the customs regarding offerings should
be divided into two sections as well�
The younger of the two periods is less prominently
represented; therefore our study will concentrate primarily
on the Early Roman burials�
One of the most significant questions is how to define
what we regard as burials� Bruno Boulestin and Henry
Duday compared the various definitions of a ‘burial’ in
their study�326 Their definition is convincing, but difficult
to apply in practice: ‘un lieu consacré par des funérailles,
où ont été déposés les restes d’un ou plusieurs défunts’.327
It seemed more useful to build on the definition given
by the ‘Dictionnaire de la Préhistoire’: ‘Lieu où ont
été déposés les restes d’un ou plusieurs défunts, et où il
subsiste suffisamment d’indices pour que l’archéologue
puisse déceler dans ce dépôt la volonté d’accomplir de
ce geste funéraire’.328 This is the reason why we did not
regard those structures as burials, which did not contain
any human remains despite the meticulous documentation
(their interpretations will be dealt with later).
Terminology of cremation burials
Out of 37 burials, 32 were cremations and 5 inhumations�
The terminology and typology of Roman cremations is not
consistent� Not only are the terms identifying the place of
the cremation used rather variably, frequently using the
same expression for structures with different functions and
characteristics, but the designations for various grave types
are also multifarious� On the basis of the German language
bibliography, there is primarily one system, developed
for Northern European protohistoric cemeteries, which
has been adapted to Pannonian cemeteries and spread in
the connected literature� The basis of the system is given
by the site of the cremation: bustum or ustrinum and the
significance of the cremated remains is secondary in
comparison�329 Notwithstanding the fact that the terms
Boulestin and Duday 2005, 20-23.
Boulestin and Duday 2005, 23�
328
Leclerc and Tarrête 1988; with explanations and further reinements,
cf� Leclerc 1990�
329
For a summary with further literature, cf. Tilmann 1980.
326
327
22
ustrinum and bustum are not even clear in ancient sources,
these different terms are also used inconsistently�
Therefore, it is necessary briefly to run through which structures
belong to the individual phases of cremation burials, to unify
their terminology, and to define their meanings precisely�
The definition of the cremation site is accompanied by
a chaotic hoard of terms: ustrinum, bustum, primary
cremation, pyre built on the ground or connecting to a pit�330
Even in the case of rescue excavations using modern
methodology, we can witness the variety of terminology
used as well as a certain amount of uncertainty� Two
structure types mix under the term ustrinum within the
archaeological literature� One is the space varying in
proportions in or near the cemetery used permanently for
the cremation of the deceased (frequently called ustrinum
publicum), which can be partially or completely built.331
The other is the private pyre (built on the ground or
connected to a pit). The latter is frequently called bustum,
or if it reaches the status of a burial, a primary cremation�
To avoid misunderstandings, the term ustrinum is more
correct when used to signify only the first group; thus,
it corresponds to the permanent cremation site and the
zones within a cemetery consistently used for cremation�
For example, in the case of the Septfontaine-Dëckt type
cremation sites, it refers to the whole of the cremation zone
and not to just the single location of a pyre� Such cremation
zones may take shape in a way that the individual pyre
locations built on the ground are constructed at a specific
location, one next to the other; and thus the remains form a
large ashy surface, which with precise excavation methods
can identify the individual pyres�332
The term bustum so often mentioned by archaeologists is
also variably used in antiquity� It appears as the place for
the cremation of the dead, but it has also been used for the
location where the cremated remains of the individual were
buried, even where this was different from the place of the
pyre�333 For the most part, pyres with the status of a burial
can be identified with this term within the archaeological
material; however, their individual or collective
330
For the problematics of terminology, Blaizot and Tranoy 2004; Blaizot
2009, 89-90. Cf., for example, the various terms used for the same
structures: Gaitzsch and Werner 1993; Struck 1993; Witteyer 1993.
331
Bel 2002, 78-79, with further literature.
332
E.g. Clermont-Ferrand, Pâtural (Puy-de-Dôme, France), Blaizot 2009,
92, Fig� 72�
333
For this question with an analysis of the antique written sources, cf�
Blaizot and Tranoy 2004, 172�
Burial customs
technique of cremation and the various extent and method of
interventions following it� It is almost certain, that what she
claims to be a cremation placed into a ritually fired grave pit
did not exist� The various categories correspond to funerary
pyres of different sizes and structures, which were dealt with
in different ways during and after the cremation�
characteristics are not clear� Due to the uncertainty of the
terminology, it is best not to use this Latin term�
Pyres built on the ground are such temporary constructions,
which do not have adjoining pits� It is difficult to identify
them as their construction and use does not always leave
any marks on the surface or these are very slight� Therefore,
the signs of heat during the functioning of the pyre may
leave no trace at all on the surface�334
The pyre built into a ditch is the variety of a pyre joining a
pit where the whole pyre fitted into the pit; thus, the length
and breadth of the pyre did not exceed that of the adjoining
ditch� These structures did not need to be large, as the corpse
could be burnt on a pyre shorter than the deceased� The ditch
helped in obtaining a better ventilation for the pyre, and
consequently the side of the ditch was more burnt than when
the pyre was built above it� These are what publications most
often designate as bustum� The C5 type of Judit Topál343 can
be identified with pyres built into pits�
Sometimes the pyres are built on the site of an earlier
pyre, in which case an anthropological analysis can show
the presence of the remains of several individuals, or
a stratigraphically-precise excavation may indicate the
repeated use of the pyre�335
An unambiguous characteristic of the pits connecting to
pyres, which differentiates them from other large pits with
charcoal-rich fill is that the marks left by the intense heat of
the pyre can be observed at the bottom and / or sides or other
sections of the pits connecting to pyres�336 The observations
indicate that the marks caused by the heat mostly appear on
the top of the walls, where an oxidizing environment will
most probably evolve�337 Their identification, nevertheless,
is rendered more difficult by the fact that the top parts of
the walls of pits happen to be damaged the most�338
The pyre built above a pit is a variety of the pyre connected
to a pit, where the pyre is longer and / or wider than the pit
underneath it� In comparison with the pyres built into pits,
the pyres built above a pit do not only have smaller pits
below the pyres, but the burn marks due to heat on their
wall and / or bottom are much weaker. The C1-4 types of
Judit Topál344 can be identified as pyres built above pits�
Relatively large pyres may have belonged to small pits
as well� The pit of a pyre at Aquincum was 58 × 90 cm
large�345 The burnt-through layer of the ancient surface
here designated the base of the pyre built above, which in
this case was 124 cm wide and probably almost 190 cm
long� The ethnoarchaeological observations concerning
Far Eastern cremation practices have proved that due to
the shrinking that occurs during the cremation process, the
length of the pyre does not have to surpass the height of the
deceased�346
Judit Topál interpreted the burnt walls and / or bottoms
of grave pits as the ritual purification of ditches,339 which
interpretation had been followed by the majority of
publications on the burial customs in Pannonia� Not to
mention that a single ritual purification process would
not have sufficed to cause such an intense burning of the
grave pit as is suggested by her, we must refer to what has
already been mentioned above, that even the pyres built
on the ground do not leave too significant marks� The only
difference the scholar finds in her system between the
ritually-fired (C1-3 type) and the locally-cremated bustum
graves is that the latter are larger�340 The well-documented
pyres built into ditches vary between 0�6 and almost 3 m�341
The size of the pyre was only partially influenced by the
age and size of the deceased�342 At the cemetery of Matrica
studied by Judit Topál, apart from Grave 40 where certain
parts of the skeleton were found almost in anatomical order,
there are no differences between the various ‘types’, either
in the stratigraphy of the fill, or the quantity of the cremated
remains� The latter most probably was not in relation with
the functional differences of the structure, but with the
As can be demonstrated by the presence of calcined bones
from several individuals, more than one body could be
cremated at the same time, or one after the other�347 The
stratigraphy of the inner structure of the pyre and the exact
documentation of the location of the calcined bones may
serve as an aid in the question whether the cremations were
conducted simultaneously or one after the other� The reuse
of the location of the pyre may be an explanation in those
cases where the remains of several individuals are present
in a secondary cremation and those belonging to one body
appear in a significantly smaller quantity� Naturally, the age
of the deceased is also to be considered� Much fewer remains
will be found from the body of a child in comparison to
that of an adult� The structure of the pyre and the position
of the bodies may also have an impact� It cannot be ruled
out either, that it was not attempted to collect the remains
belonging to the different individuals proportionally, or
334
Andrieux 1994, 263; Lambot 1994, 256; Pautreau 1994, 307; Barber
and Bowsher 2000, 61; Pautreais and Mornais 2005, 50.
335
Cf� the example of the pyres excavated in the cemetery next to Voie de
l’Océan at Lyons (Rhône, France), Frascone 1999, 127-130.
336
The extent of this may vary a lot, cf� Blaizot 2009, 94�
337
For example, Gaitzsch and Werner 1993, 64-67. The burn marks were
most frequent on the walls of the grave pits at the cemetery of Matrica as
well: Topál 1981, 75.
338
Blaizot 2009, 94�
339
Topál 1981, 75-76.
340
Topál 1981, 78.
341
Blaizot 2009, Fig� 74�
342
Bel 2002, 89.
Topál 1981, 78-80.
Topál 1981, 75-78.
345
Bécsi út, Grave 97, Topál 1993, 43.
346
Grévin 2009, 233�
347
On this topic, cf. Blaizot 2009, 97, 103-104.
343
344
23
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Here we must mention the deposition pits for the disposal
of the pyre remains� The place of a pyre, especially the
permanent cremation areas (ustrina) required regular
cleaning, during which the accumulated residue of former
pyres had to be removed� This must have been less
important with regard to ephemeral pyres�
that the remains of the deceased individuals had become
mixed up due to the applied cremation technique�
The state of the pyre and the remains of the deceased
following the cremation (and after the pyre has gone
out or is extinguished) depends on several factors. It
is least influenced by its temperature and the length
of the cremation� Naturally, it depends on the material
and structure of the pyre, which has an impact on not
only the temperature, but also the shifts caused by the
collapse of the structure� However, it relies the most on
the techniques applied during the cremation: the position
of the deceased on the pyre, the fastening of the limbs or
lack thereof; furthermore, the number of times and in what
way the person in charge of the pyre intervened during the
cremation� These can be the following, to give just a few
examples: fuelling and ventilating the pyre, breaking the
long bones, bending back the limbs, etc� The manner of
extinguishing the pyre is also important� For example, if
a type of liquid was used (such as water or wine), then the
bones became much more cracked and fragmentary�348
The corpse of an adult can be completely cremated on a pyre
of 1 cubic metre�351 The remains of such a pyre does not
amount to a large quantity of charcoal� In the case of pyres
built on the ground, most probably the remains were only
spread around� Where the pyres connected to pits, a part of
the residue was simply scattered on the antique trodden level�
If there was a large amount of material to be moved, this was
probably scattered into deposition pits� It is problematic to
identify these, and most importantly to differentiate between
them and the ‘simple cremations’, where the calcined bones
mixed with the remains of the pyre were deposited without a
container� The small pits can hardly be imagined as serving
for the deposition of the pyre remains; these are more likely
to be ‘simple cremations’. The presence of secondary grave
goods also indicates that we are dealing with graves and
not deposition pits� It is more probable that the larger pits
containing calcined bones, charcoal and at times burnt grave
goods, served for depositing the remains of the pyres� It may
be revealing, when the pit filled up in several phases and
the various strata contain the calcined remains of different
individuals� The use of a structure for the deposition of
pyre remains may also be indicated by the fact that its find
material spans across a longer period�
After the flames died down and the remains of the pyre had
cooled, or were cooled, there were several tasks that may
have been carrid out at the location of the pyre� It could
acquire the status of a burial, or a part of the calcined remains
could be taken out for them to be buried somewhere else�
This space may be identical with the location of the pyre or
it may be different� For instance, when the urn containing
the collected calcined bones was placed in the area of the
pyre� In connection with this, a part of the remains of the
pyre may be cleared away; with regard to pyres connecting
to pits, the pits were partially or completely cleared out and
reorganized�
Primary cremations
When the pyre itself acquires the status of a burial, we
can call it a primary cremation�352 A grave of this type is
frequently called a bustum� As it has already been discussed
above, this term is not even consistent among the ancient
auctors, and it is used to name various features (different
types of individual pyres and pyres that acquired the status
of a burial) within the archaeological literature as well.
Therefore, it is more correct to use the term ‘primary
cremation’ instead of the Latin denomination. We can define
the location of a pyre as a primary cremation, when the parts
of a skeleton are found in relative anatomical order, or when
the complete remains of a body are within the grave� The
presence of secondary grave goods, as well as the traces of
the cult of the burial (e.g. the profusio: the pipe constructed
for libation) both indicate that the site of the pyre achieved
the status of a burial�
Based on the studies of contemporary cremations, the
post-cremation weight of the calcined bones of an adult
varies between 1001.5-2422.5 g.349 The average weight of
the remains of both sexes is 1625 g� However, this value
can show significant variations depending on the age and
dietary habits of the deceased�350
Either the complete amount or a part of the cremated
remains were collected and placed (sometimes including
the remains of the pyre) into the grave. The composition
of the collected bones does not only infer how the bone
remains were collected (for instance, large pieces of bones
indicate that the remains were lifted up by hand), but also
shows whether the remains of certain parts of the body
were preferred. The collected remains may be cleaned; but
precaution is needed, as modern cremation studies show
that depending on the construction of the pyre and its
extinguishing a part of the bones may not require cleaning�
At times, after the remains have been collected and the pit
of the pyre partially or completely cleared, the pyre area
itself may serve as the location for burying the cremated
remains in an urn�353 The latter, in all likelihood, would
contain the remains of the person burnt on the pyre in the
majority of cases� This can be proved with certainty by an
348
For details, cf� Grévin 2009�
Herrmann 1976; McKinley 1993.
350
Bass and Jantz 2004; Chirachariyavej et al. 2007; referring to children,
cf. Trotter and Hixon 1974; Warren et al� 1997�
349
351
Grévin 2009, 234�
Bel 2002, 83.
353
Witteyer 1993, 73�
352
24
Burial customs
The primary inhumation can be defined as the following:
‘dépôt d’un cadavre ou d’une portion de cadavre réalisé alors
que les éléments du squelette conservent encore la totalité de
leurs connexions anatomiques’; whilst that of the secondary
inhumation is determined as when ‘le dépôt de restes réalisé
lorsque les éléments du squelette ont partiellement ou
totalement perdu leurs connexions anatomiques’.358
anthropological analysis. At the cemetery of Valladas (SaintPaul-Trois-Châteaux, Drôme, France), adjoining fragments
were found among the cremated bones both in the urn and
in the fill of the pyre�354 In such cases, we may think that the
plot bought for the burial was limited� Thus, the site of the
pyre can also acquire the status of a burial in this way�
Secondary cremations
Defining the rituals of the excavated graves
In the case of these types, a part or all of the calcined
bones – with or without a part of the remains of the pyre
and the primary grave goods – were removed from the
pyre� Afterwards, following certain optional tasks (sorting,
washing, etc.), the whole or just a part is deposited at
another place with or without a container (urn).
Based on the above, the rites of the excavated graves can be
defined as the following�
Primary cremations
Pyres built into pits
On the basis of the above definition, the following types of
secondary cremation could be discerned:
This is a type represented by Grave 4, which belongs to the
earliest Flavian-Trajanic horizon of the cemetery. Its large
rectangular pit has rounded corners� The position of the grave
goods within the pit of the pyre, as well as the calcined remains
of the two individuals found inside the grave with a significant
difference from their hypothetical weights of the complete
calcined remains from two bodies, unquestionably shows that
the pit of the pyre had been partially emptied following the
cremation� On the basis of the secondary grave goods, this
pyre acquired the status of a burial�
Cremations in containers (urns)
Based on the container type used for holding the remains,
we can identify several types: cremations in pottery, glass,
lead urns, containers made of organic materials355 etc�
‘Heap of bones’ burials
The calcined bones collected from the pyre were placed into
the grave without a container or the remains of the pyre were
mixed in� These types of burials are sometimes difficult to
differentiate from the cremations in urns made of organic
materials (unless the calcined remains had been scattered
within the grave).
It may come into question why this is the only pyre built
into a pit among the primary cremations� Notwithstanding
the burial customs related to the deceased and his / her
family, as well as the community burying the individual,
there can be various possible explanations� First, this is the
richest burial of the cemetery sector� It can be postulated,
that the status(es) of the dead individual(s) is indicated by
the chosen cremation type, and this was the reason for their
choice of a more ostentatious pyre structure, which, at the
same time, certainly required more wood and work for the
construction of its pit� This may have had practical reasons
as well, if the two individuals were cremated together: a
pyre with a larger surface was required (a more detailed
study follows below).
Simple cremations
These are the cremations where the calcined bones are
deposited mixed with the remains of the pyre without an
urn�356
It is difficult to make a distinction between these and
similar charcoal-rich structures (such as deposition pits
for the pyre remains). One of the most definite signs is the
presence of secondary grave goods;357 but indications of the
funerary cult (profusio, objects placed on the surface) are
also decisive in this matter�
Pyres built above a pit
Three structures can be listed within this group: Graves 1,
2 and 3� All three of them probably belong to the earliest
horizon of the cemetery sector� The shape of the pits under
these pyres are rectangular with rounded corners�
These grave types may also intermingle with one another�
In such cases, it is best to classify the burial according to
the most complex type of arrangement and to specify the
rite through its details�
We did not find the collapsed remains of any of the
pyres, and the quantity of the calcined remains is much
smaller than the theoretical weight of calcined bones after
cremation� These indicate that the pyres were reorganized
following the cremation, and a certain amount of the
remains were removed� Based on the secondary grave
goods, all three pyre structures had attained the status of
a burial�
Terminology of inhumations
We can designate two types of inhumations in this group:
the primary and secondary inhumation�
354
Blaizot and Tranoy 2004, 177�
For the identiication of the latter, cf. Le Goff 2009.
356
Bel 2002, 84-85. Some of them are included in the research among the
Aschengruben: Wigg 1993.
357
Bel 2002, 85.
355
358
25
Boulestin and Duday 2005, 27�
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
In Grave 3, this is not only supported by the secondary
grave goods but also by the ceramic vase containing the
cremated remains, which was excavated in the pyre�
Unurned cremations
Secondary cremations
This group consists of Graves 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and perhaps
30 as well� These burials can be dated to a relatively wide
chronological scale. Grave 15 was made between 120-200;
Grave 30 can be dated at the earliest to the second half of
the 2nd century� Grave 11 is from the 3rd century� All this,
as well as their location within the cemetery may indicate
that the rest of the similar types of graves are also to be
assigned to the relatively later horizon of the cemetery, but
not its latest (4th century).
‘Heap of bones’ burials
Urned cremations
Cremations in ceramic vessels
The most common form of secondary cremations is that
placed into a ceramic vessel (ceramic urn): such as in the
case of Graves 3, 10, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29.
Cremations in ceramic vessels already appear in the earliest
period of the cemetery sector (Grave 10); and the rite
continues until the end of the Early Roman period (Graves
22 and 28).
The rite at this cemetery sector relates to simple pit graves�
These may be square with rounded corners (Graves 11 and
30), round- (Graves 12 and 15) and elongated oval- (Grave
13) shaped pits. Grave 14 was also a simple pit grave, but
its shape is unknown�
The urns are mostly deposited into simple pits (Graves 10,
22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29). In one case (Grave 3), it
is the pit of the pyre�
Simple cremations
Graves 7, 8, 9, 20, 36 and possibly 5 belong to this group.
Simple cremations probably already appeared in the earliest
horizon (Grave 7). However, we can surely count with the
use of this rite within the community during the Antonine
period (Graves 8 and 20) until the end of the 2nd century,
but perhaps also in the first half of the 3rd century�
Among the urns, the forms for preparing / storing food
(jars, ollae) dominate (Graves 10, 22, 23, 24 Urn ‘A’, 25,
26, 27, 28 Urns ‘A’ and ‘B’, and 29). In one case, a widemouthed, small storage vessel (Urn ‘B’ from Grave 24),
and in another (Grave 3) a small vessel (with narrowing
rim, possibly originally a form ideal for holding small
quantities of liquid) were used as urns. The jar is the most
common type of ceramic vase used as an urn in Pannonia�
Simple cremations, with the exception of Grave 20, which
is a tile grave, were placed into pit graves� Grave 7 has
an elongated, trapezoid-shaped pit, but usually the pits are
rectangular with extremely rounded corners (Graves 5 and
8). The small pit of Grave 9 is oval.
With the exception of Grave 23, where a part of the calcined
remains were placed outside of the urn, the calcined bones
in all the burials with a ceramic urn were placed only inside
the urns�
Secondary cremations of uncertain rites
In one case, the urn was closed with a pottery lid (Urn ‘A’
of Grave 28). It could not be observed with the rest of the
urns whether we could suppose a lid made of some kind of
slowly deteriorating organic material based on the structure
of the fill�
In the case of Grave 6, after collating the written and graphic
documentation, the burial’s rite is not certain. The calcined
bones were perhaps placed without a container in a pile;
while the grave pit was probably filled up with a part of
the remains of the pyre� At the same time, however, in the
photograph depicting the earliest excavation phase (Fig. 22),
the edges of the charcoal-rich section appear as separated
from the other borders of the grave pit in a square shape and
with straight edges. This ‘borderline’ may indicate that the
calcined bones mixed with the pyre remains had originally
been placed within an organic container (e�g� wooden box
with wooden joints).
Cremation in an imbrex
In Grave 17, the remains were placed into an upturned
imbrex� The burial was set in a grave constructed out of
tegulae� There are no examples of cremations in an imbrex
among the published Early Roman burials in Pannonia�
The appearance of this rare burial type in Pannonia within
the cemetery in the 2nd century, or the first half of the 3rd
century (125 / 150-250) perhaps infers the presence of an
immigrant from another province�359
In the case of Graves 16 (?), 18, 19 (?) and 21, the
disturbance caused by agricultural cultivation does not
allow us to identify how the calcined bones collected from
the pyre were deposited in the tile grave�
The rites of Graves 30 and 31 are also unidentifiable due to
disturbance by ploughing�� These could be either cremations
placed into a ceramic urn, or such secondary cremations
where the calcined remains were placed next to the pottery
vessel�
359
Such a burial is known from several cemeteries in Gallia Lugdunensis:
Gergy (Saône-et-Loire, France): Alary 1990, 67; CAG 71 / 4, No. 558, 483;
and Seurre (Côte-d’Or, France): Roussel 1987-1989 [1993], CAG 21 / 3,
No. 607, 197-198. It must be emphasized, however, that the highlighted
examples cited here do not mean that we should look for the native land of
the deceased at this province�
26
Burial customs
was built into a pit (Grave 4), and three where they were
built above a pit (Graves 1, 2 and 3). The well-dateable
assemblages were all from the Late Flavian-Trajanic / Early
Hadrianic period� The origin of the pyre in or above a pit
may be found in Northern Italy, where they had already
appeared at the end of the 1st century BC and became
especially common in the regions north of the Po�361 The
soldiers enlisted in Northern Italy and moving northward
with the troops may have had a part in their distribution�362
Inhumations
Primary inhumations
Graves 37, 38 and 40 belong to this group. Based on the bad
preservation of the skeleton, we can only presume that there
was a primary inhumation in Grave 39� Due to disturbance,
we cannot determine what type of inhumation was in Grave
41, but we have no reason to suspect that the burial was made
after the partial anatomical decomposition of the skeleton�
Simple pit graves
Inhumations were possibly in use from the Late Flavian
era (Grave 37), but certainly during the 2nd century for the
burial of adults (Graves 37 and 38). Therefore, the cemetery
is bi-ritual during the 2nd century. We do not know of any
adult inhumations from the 3rd century. In Grave 41 (285400), a 4-6 year-old child was buried. In the case of adults,
inhumations only reappeared in the 4th century (Grave 40).
Most of the cremation burials belong to this group� Their
forms can be rectangular with rounded corners (Graves 5,
8, 24, 28 and 33), square with rounded corners (Graves 6,
10, 11, 16, 30, 36, and perhaps 19), elongated trapezoid
with rounded corners (Grave 7), as well as oval (Graves
9, 13, 25 and 26), and round (Graves 12, 22, 23, 29, 31
and 34). All had been dug into the subsoil and do not show
any interior divisions. Grave 28 is an exception, as its
middle section, where the urns had been placed, deepens
synclinally� No correlation can be established between the
shape and dating of the pit graves�
Features not identifiable as burials
In several instances, the excavated feature did not contain
calcined bones, thus, we cannot determine with any
certainty that they were burials�
Tile graves
A significant part of Grave (?) 32 had been destroyed by
agricultural cultivation� Its location at the centre of Enclosure
ditch 98 /108 indicates that the two features may have
constituted a single unit� It is most likely that similarly to
Graves 5 and 6 this was also a burial surrounded by a ditch�
Four burials belong to this group (Graves 17, 18, 20 and
21). All are square in shape; their sides and cover are
made of tegulae, without mortar� The classification of
two other graves is uncertain due to disturbance (Graves
16 and 19). This grave type appears in the cemetery sector
in the second half of the 2nd century� Tile graves within
the western provinces of the Roman Empire are mostly
known to belong to cemeteries connected to Roman and
Romanised communities�363
The topographical location of Grave (?) 33 infers that it
was in connection with Grave 6 and its enclosure� This is
supported by the fact that on the basis of their find material
they seem to be contemporary� Probably, this was not a burial,
but another type of feature connecting to Grave 6 (such as
a sacrificial pit, the remnants of the funeral banquet or the
pyre, or perhaps what was left after a visit to the grave).
Grave types of inhumations
The majority of inhumations are simple pit grave burials
(Graves 37, 38, 39 and 40). The deceased was placed into a
grave constructed of tegulae in Grave 41�
No human remains were found in Grave (?) 34. There are
several possible interpretations for the feature (it was a
cenotaph; a burial containing only a few calcined remains;
an offering pit; the remains after a visit to the grave, etc.).
Cremation and the handling of cremated remains
Grave (?) 35, as in the case of the previous one, also did not
contain any human remains� ploughing had destroyed most
of it; thus, its interpretation is even more difficult than the
previous ones�360
The study of cremation burials in Pannonia is still at its
initial stage� Thus, it is fortunate that Gábor Tóth has
completed the analysis of the anthropological material
including the cremated remains (see below in a separate
chapter). The excavation and study of cremation burials
however, requires a different type of documentation
and methodology from both the archaeologist and the
anthropologist in comparison to inhumations� Therefore,
we think it would be of interest to give a brief summary
Grave types
Grave types of cremation burials
Pyres built into and above pits
Fasold 1993, 383; Struck 1993a, 93; Ortalli 2001, 228-229. They can
be found more to the south at Ostia: Taglietti 2001, 158, Fig. 10; around
Ostia: Falzone et al. 2001, 129-131; Carbonara et al. 2001, 140, where the
pyre locations joining ditches had already appeared at the end of the 1st
century BC as well, as well as at Altino: Tirelli 2001, 245, Fig. 2.
362
Bel 1996, 208.
363
Philpott 1991, 11�
361
As has been mentioned above, in the case of primary
cremations at the site there was one instance where the pyre
360
For the interpretation of pits with charcoal and ash not containing
calcined human remains and further literature, cf� Wigg 1993�
27
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Around 400 Co, or 550 Co: Grave 2.
Changing between 400-600 Co at various parts: Graves
3, 7, 12, 24 and 31�
Varying between 525-940 Co: Graves 4 and 10.
675-940 Co: Graves 4, 20 and 29.
Above 850 Co: Graves 9, 14, 17, 18, 21 and 23.
of which data should be given from the archaeologist’s
standpoint, and where the archaeologist interested in the
matter may find further bibliography on the archaeological
aspects of the anthropological remains of cremations� This
can supplement the extensive bibliography on Hungarian
research complementing the results of the cremations in the
cemetery�
The different colour of the calcined bone fragments, on
the one hand, may indicate the position of the body on the
pyre; and on the other, that the temperature was different at
various points of the pyre due to its structure�368
When analysing the bone remains of the cremations, the
following data should be given: the weight of the remains
before and after washing� If it is a cremation in a container,
the quantities of both the material from inside and outside
the urn are required separately�
We have almost no information about the structures of the
pyres; partly because they were the subject of significant
interventions after the cremation which destroyed the
signs indicating the structure of the pyre� Based on the pits
belonging to these features, we can suppose that they were
all rectangular� The large conical headed iron nails found in
Grave 4 fastened together a wooden structure (perhaps the
pyre?), or maybe they decorated it.
The colour of the remains (with the colour definitions used
in the reference works), and their state of fragmentation
(according to the size scales used in the reference works)
should both be given according to the large body regions�
This enables the reconstruction of the amount of heat
affecting each region of the body�364 In order to be able to
examine whether there was a preference for a given body
region – when the remains were collected from the pyre,
or later during the deposition at the final place of burial –
the ratio of the presence of each body region should
be determined among the material in question, and the
percentage of the given skeletal region to which it amounts�
In this way it can be demonstrated if more emphasis was
laid on displaying a special region in the assemblage�
The wood used for the pyres is not known� A larger
wooden charcoal piece (its largest length is ca� 51 cm, its
width 5 – 12 cm) was documented in Grave 3. However,
no material analysis has been conducted on the charcoal
remains� In the case of the brick fragment mentioned in
Grave 1, it may have belonged to the pyre structure� At
the same time, it cannot be ruled out either that it is what
remains from the tegula covering of the pyre, which was
later destroyed by cultivation�
For a fundamental work on the anthropological
methodology, the research of cremations is crucial�365
In Grave 4 (pyre built into a pit), the remains of two
individuals could be identified� The question arises, whether
the cremations of the two individuals happened at the same
time or one after the other on the same pyre, or whether
the remains of one of the deceased were carried over from
another pyre� Based on the documentation, it seems that the
remains of the two individuals were found mixed together�
This means the two bodies were burnt on the same pyre; yet
it cannot be discerned whether this happened at the same
time, or if the second individual was only cremated on a
new pyre built after the partial clearing of the ditch�
Conclusions on the pyre, cremation process, and handling
of bone remains can be deduced from the anthropological
material of cremation, and extensive further bibliography
is given�366
The size range given in the anthropological analysis
refers to the washed material, as Gábor Tóth reminds
us� Therefore, we cannot determine either the phase of
the cremation, nor its extent, not even the length of the
cremation process� This implies that we can only roughly
determine the temperature of the pyres on the basis of the
hues of the calcined remains�367
The urns were further examined at the conservator’s studio,
layer by layer� The resulting layers are indicated in the
anthropological analysis by the number of parcels / bags�
Up to 250 Co and around 550 Co: Graves 1, 6, 13 and 22.
250 Co and 675-940 Co: Graves 5, 11 and 26.
285-525 Co and 675-940 Co: Grave 15.
285-675 Co: Grave 8.
Apart from the example in Grave 28, the urns contained
only a symbolic or small amount of cremated remains
(Grave 26: 4g; Grave 3: 310 g; Grave 27: 825 g). In several
examples, we are not aware of the complete amount of
bones placed into the urn due to agricultural activity: Grave
25: at least 429 g.
364
For the detailed discussion of the method, cf� Schweder and Winkler
2004, 11-12. For the deinition of colour and the temperature of the pyre,
cf. Masset 1987. For the blue hues of the black and white fragments,
cf� Hummel et al. 1988. For the colour of freshly broken and already
fragmentary bones, and their differences on the broken surface, cf�
Guillon 1987.
365
Cf. Chochol 1961; Rösing 1977; Wahl 1982; Endris and Berrsche 1985.
366
Cf. McKinley 1989; Großkopf 2004; Ancel 2010. For the technique of
excavating urns, cf. Duday 1987; Duday 1989; Grévin 1990; Adam and
Delnef 1999, 57-58.
367
The identiications are suggested by András Márton, based on the data
summarized in Großkopf 2004, 17, Tab. 3.
In the case of Grave 23, we cannot be sure whether all the
796 g of calcined bones comes from the urn; while the
weight of the calcined remains placed next to the urn is
unknown in this case�
368
28
Lambot 1994; Guillot et al. 1994; Adam and Delnef 1999, 60.
Burial customs
space� The question arises, whether this uncovered state
can be in connection with the box indicated by its hinges
and lock� The use of a box with a lid opening with hinges
at least 160 cm in length would be a unique example for
interring the deceased during the Early Roman period in
Pannonia, and as far as we know also in the material of the
western provinces during the same period� Based on the
documentation available, we cannot decide on this matter;
nevertheless, several arguments can be made against the
usage of the box as a coffin, but it is clear that it was
placed on another wooden structure (dowelled coffin,
wooden planks), and so the former is responsible for the
decomposition of the corpse in an open environment�
In Grave 24, it is not certain whether the 596 g of calcined
bones refer only to the amount contained in Urn ‘A’, or if
they are to be counted together with the calcined bones in
Urn ‘B’.
In Grave 28, we know the total amount of the calcined bones
is 4465 g; thus, here they attempted to collect as much as
possible of the calcined bones� What hinders the exact study
of the material is that we are not in the knowledge of how
much of this was found in Urn ‘A’ and in Urn ‘B’.
The anthropological analysis does not identify which
body regions were represented in what percentage among
the remains placed inside the urns� We do not know if a
body region was over-represented (detailed analyses
resulted in significant information regarding the definition
of preferences for the collection of remains).369 From this
point of view, it would have been interesting to compare
the size of the bone fragments from the fill of Grave 3 and
its urn, as well as the ratio of the body regions represented
in each�
The first and foremost reason is the arrangement of the
hinges and lock� Logically, we would expect the lock to be
more or less near the middle of the box� The hinges are also
in the expected positions� Unless we presume that there had
been a third hinge as well (or a box with a missing hinge
had been interred), and the lock mechanism was placed
asymmetrically, the supposed length of the box was not
sufficient to hold the body of the deceased� An explanation
for the position of the box hinges can be that they moved
due to the weakened structure of the box and its eventual
collapse� Another disturbing element is that the lock held
the key. Presuming that the box contained the deceased’s
body, we can suppose that the aim was to prevent the
deceased from getting out again� In this case, the key
would not have been left in the lock, perhaps not even in
the grave� Naturally, with such an unparalleled example,
many solutions deviating from the general practice can be
imagined�
The calcined bones were mostly placed into the urns
without the remains of the pyre (Graves 3, 10, 24, 27,
28, and perhaps 23). Apart from the remains of the pyre
and the offerings, no other type of extraneous material
was documented in the urns� Based on the documentation
available, we cannot draw any conclusions regarding how
the remains had been placed inside the urn� With detailed
observation, based on the spatial location of the small
bones, it is possible to identify if they had been put in a
‘bag’ made of some type of organic material, or if there had
been some kind of object of organic material among or on
the fragments� The anthropological analysis indicates that
the arrangement of the remains was probably based on the
size of the bones� The largest bone fragments were placed
at the bottom, and the sizes of the following calcined bone
fragments diminished in size towards the top� This important
observation should be dealt with carefully, however, as not
only gravitation and the possible presence of an organic
inner cover may have had an effect on them, but we do not
know what type of body regions were present among the
bones placed into the urn either� Therefore, their position
is not clear within the microstratigraphy of the urns; that
is, it cannot be discerned whether a simple practical reason
stands in the background of the observation, or if it is a
deliberate arrangement�
In the case of Grave 38, the opened ribcage again indicates
that the decomposition of the body took place in an
uncovered environment� The location of the tiny, insecure
bones of the skeleton, and those of the hands and feet are
not indicated precisely on the drawing of the grave� On the
basis of this, it can be imagined, but not proved with any
certainty, that the body of the deceased was protected from
the fill of the grave pit by some kind of container made out of
an organic material until a certain phase of decomposition�
This may be indicated by the fact that a part of the ceramic
grave goods were on the lower limbs of the skeleton in an
unstable manner at the time of excavation� These may have
originally been placed onto the structure covering the body,
having fallen down following its collapse�
Position of the corpse in the inhumations
In the case of Grave 40, it is not known whether the
disintegration of the deceased took place out in the open or
in a covered space�
In all the burials where the position of the body could be
determined, the skeletons were in supine, extended position
(Graves 37, 38, 40, and probably 39 as well).
The fill of the graves
In the case of Grave 37, the skeleton was badly preserved,
and the total lack of the traces of the wooden structure
rendered analysis difficult� The open ribcage indicates
that the decomposition of the corpse happened in an open
The elements appearing within the fill of a grave, as well
as its structure may be typical of the given community,
and may help in reconstructing certain details of the burial
rites�370
369
370
Adam and Delnef 1999, 60�
29
Baray 2003, 120, with further literature�
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
composed of the glass perfume bottles (Grave 10; Grave
26, here with a bronze coin as well; Grave 28, Urn ‘B’). It
can be presumed, that perfumes facilitated the deceased’s
passage into the Netherworld� Personal adornments were
also placed into the urns, such as fibulae and the belt
buckle (Grave 28, Urns ‘A’ and ‘B’). The urn of Grave 22
contained an oil lamp, handled cup and an iron nail� An iron
nail was also found in both the urns in Grave 28 (perhaps
serving as ‘immobilization’ for the deceased).
Cremation burials
The conclusions based on the documentation available are
somewhat limited� Certainly had there been atypical material
within the fill of the grave (stones, clay layer, sand layer),
they would have been documented during the excavation�
In a few case, where there was daub and charcoal in the fill of
the grave pit (Graves 6, 8, 10, 22, 23 and 26), we may think
that some of the remains of the pyre could have been used to
fill up the pit, or some of the material of the pyre (e�g� pyre
built on the ground) standing near the grave pit may have
infiltrated the pit�
Position of grave goods in the inhumations
In Grave 37, some of the grave goods were placed outside
the coffin� The small jug behind the right shoulder of
the skeleton was certainly deposited outside the coffin�
Depending on its interpretation, the same can be said in
the case of the hinges and locks found in the grave� The
jewellery of the woman was found near the ankles, perhaps
where it had been worn originally� The brooch was found
where it was worn in Grave 40; but in Grave 38 it was near
the head, next to the walls of the grave pit� The object may
have been displaced by a small animal�
Inhumation burials
In the case of inhumations, no alien materials or wellstratified layers could be discerned in the fill�
Position of grave goods
Position of grave goods in the cremations
The pyres were usually cleared away after the cremation;
therefore the secondary grave goods ended up at the bottom
of each pit (Graves 3 and 4). In the case of Grave 4, the
grave goods were placed one on top of the other at the centre
of the large pit� If the material below the plates and between
the vessels was not the ashy fill of the pyre remains, we
can imagine that the pottery was piled on small tables and
shelves, and had later fallen down after the disintegration
of the latter constructions�371
The pottery in Graves 38 and 39 was arranged near the
lower limbs. In Grave 38, perhaps on a coffin; in Grave 39,
at the feet of the deceased� The pottery were placed at the
feet of the deceased also in Grave 41�
Rites conducted on the grave goods
In several cases, it is supposed that the pottery vessels were
intentionally damaged� The spouts were probably broken
off deliberately from the jugs in Grave 2, the glass jug
found in Urn ‘B’ in Grave 28, and the ceramic jug in Grave
38.
In the case of Grave 5, the course of the burial can be
reconstructed in the following manner� First, the glass
beads in some kind of organic container, perhaps a bag
(Fig� 18.2), and the cup were placed into the grave. A part
of the calcined remains mixed with the pyre remains were
then thrown in, and the rest of the grave pit was filled up
with a portion of the soil dug out previously�
Regarding the two bowls with everted rim found in Grave
4,372 it is obvious that two half bowls were placed in the
burial�
Custom of grave furnishing
In several occasions, the secondary grave goods, or some
of them, were placed in a group: Grave 6, small storage
vessel, jar and glass bottle (Fig� 22.2); Grave 7, both pottery
vessels; Grave 10, pottery vessels, oil lamp, coin and glass
bottle (Fig� 30.2); Grave 26, urn and cup; Grave 14, plate
and iron knife next to it (Fig� 36.5).
The first question to clarify is what we can regard as a
grave good� It is almost impossible to find a Roman burial
that does not have at least one, or up to even a few hundred
pottery sherds among its finds� Of course, not all can be
identified as grave goods� A complete vessel cannot be
regarded as the equivalent to an extremely fragmentary
vessel, or a simple pottery sherd� The limits of the extent
of fragmentation should be set to see when a pottery
vessel or other object (unless it is a primary grave good)
can be regarded as a grave good� We set the limits in this
publication to the value of 20%, which has been well-tested
in practice�373 The separate identification of grave goods
and ‘residual’ sherds is hindered by two factors. Some of
the vessels could already have been used before depositing
them in the grave, and they could be placed inside in a
At the double burial of Grave 28, the grave goods were
placed between the urns (jars), including a jug (Figs. 48.12). The jewellery of the woman and most of the military
belt belonging to the man (the belt buckle was found inside
the urn) were placed nearby.
The offerings placed inside the urns, thus the nearest to the
remains of the deceased (disregarding the calcined bone
remains from food offerings also burnt on the pyre), set
apart from the rest of the offerings, were most frequently
372
371
Cf� for example, Bel et al. 2008, 163-165.
373
30
Grave 4, Cats. 7-8.
Bel 2002, 104-112, with further literature.
Burial customs
broken state� Another group of these could have been
deliberately broken during the burial either before their
deposition on the pyre, or during the cremation (such as
when the vessels are broken during the funerary banquet
and the pieces are thrown onto the pyre), or before being
buried in the grave, or even around the burial before it was
sealed� Yet another group could have been broken and be
scattered due to the pressure of the soil, during agricultural
cultivation, or excavation� It is very difficult to distinguish
vessels deliberately placed into the grave in a broken state
from those pieces that got into the grave through the shifting
of earth from the surroundings of the burial and which
initially had no relation to it� The finds of a cemetery may
originate from various sources� Some of them may come
from an earlier use of the same area; but ‘residual’ finds
can also result from actions related to the burials� Some of
the finds may come from destroyed burials; another group
from the structures used for cremation (e�g� from pyres
built onto the ground). Nevertheless, they may have arrived
there before, during or after the rituals connected to the
burial, or funerary banquets and other visits to the grave�
an idea of the assemblages based on the primary grave
goods, which were intentionally collected from the remains
of the pyre�
The primary and secondary grave goods had different roles
within the ‘double burial’ of a cremation. The composition
of secondary grave goods was determined by the necessities
of the deceased in the Netherworld; thus, they can rightly
be considered as the reflections of the ideas regarding the
otherworld� The primary grave goods play a much more
direct role in the rites of transience and purification; thus,
expressing the relationship of the deceased and society�379
When examining the customs of grave furnishing, objects
from various periods and sources have to be compared�
The formal, typological differences of the objects do not
express the variations in use or function, they simply show
the differences in their origin and chronology� To be able to
resolve this problem it is necessary to examine each object
according to its role among the grave goods� Thus, not only
can such objects be compared that have similar functions
but varying types, but also the study of the quantity of
objects with similar functions would be possible�
It is essential for the definition of their origins that their
positions are documented precisely compared to each other
and the graves, and with regard to the other structures
connecting to them� The comparison of the pottery sherds
from the grave fills and from their surroundings, may bring
us closer to defining their origins (the studies conducted
at the cemetery of Tavant (Indre-et-Loire, France) made it
possible to determine the composition of sets used for the
rituals / banquets around the graves�374
Bronze vessels
The remains of a burnt bronze amphora and a wooden
bucket were found in Grave 4, the richest in the whole
cemetery� The two vessels infer that one or more bronze
vessel sets (or part / s of it) were placed onto the pyre. Since
a part of the pyre remains was removed, we can suppose
that some of the primary grave goods were also taken from
the assemblage� Therefore, we do not know if there had
been any other vessels complementing the lot, and if so
what types these had been� The bronze vessel sets can be
divided into two larger categories� The first consists of
vessels used in the bath (and the palaistra) and for ritual
washing, which we can call ‘toiletry services’380; while the
second comprises the services used at the table� The latter
were used for serving food and drink�381 The forms that can
unambiguously identify the type of the service were not
included in the assemblage or were removed with the rest of
the pyre (such as strainer and ladle, Badeschale and patera).
Amphorae were primarily accessories for wine-drinking.382
It cannot be excluded, however, that certain amphora
types were used in both bath and ‘toiletry’ services. In this
question, the wooden bucket (situla) is not of any help
either, as this vessel type can also be found among both the
drinking and ‘toiletry’ services.383 In this sense, the material
of the bucket is not of any help either, as wooden buckets
were used for the consumption of alcoholic beverages� One
of the most well-known examples for this are the aristocratic
burials at Goeblange� In Pannonia, only a single grave
The next factor impeding definition results from the
fact that the majority of the burials under study were
cremations� There are two types of grave good types in
cremations: the ‘primary’ offerings placed on the pyre
during the cremation of the deceased, and the ‘secondary’
grave goods placed into the grave after the cremation�
These two categories were defined by Gustav Müller375
and are acknowledged in current research today� In theory
it is easy to differentiate between the two� The primary
grave goods are burnt�376 There are no burn marks on the
secondary grave goods� Nevertheless, the position of the
fragments within the grave should also be considered�377
The appearance of the primary grave goods in the grave (in
the case of secondary cremations), disregarding the sherds
accidentally collected, is the result of a conscious decision�
Based on the excavation of several permanent cremation
areas (ustrina) and the study of the finds, it can be said that
there is significant variation between the composition of
primary and secondary grave goods�378 We can only form
Riquier and Salé 2006, 61-69.
Müller 1977, 12; Bel 2002, 107-110, with further literature and a
detailed discussion of the categories�
376
Baray 2003, 273� For the problems of identifying primary grave goods,
especially regarding ‘potential primary grave goods’ from ashy layers,
cf. Blaizot 2009, 126-128. It occurs that the ceramics used during the
funerary banquets also get burnt, cf� Bel 2002, 111�
377
Blaizot 2009, 127�
378
Polfer 1993, 175-176; Polfer 1996, 108-116; Ames-Adler 2004, 88-91.
374
375
379
Bel 2002, 111, with further literature�
On this group, cf. Nuber 1972; Nenova-Merdjanova 2002.
381
For the bronze vessel services and their successive generations, cf�
Petrovszky 1993, 21-137.
382
Feugère 1991, 48, and the remark of Claude Rolley, idem. 51-52.
383
On the role of bronze amphorae among ‘toiletry services’ and drinking
services, cf. Mráv 2005, ad Nr. 24, 324-325, with further bibliography.
380
31
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
urns) and for consuming food are the most frequent. The
number of small storage vessels is also significant (10
vessels, of which 1 served as an urn). The number of jugs
is almost identical to that of the plates� At the same time,
there are less than half as many drinking vessels among the
offerings, as there are plates�
assemblage is published that contained a bronze amphora�
This comes from Grave 5 at the Alsópáhok cemetery�384 The
two burials are more or less contemporary� In that grave, a
wooden bucket, a patera, a Millingen type jug and several
unidentifiable bronze vessels accompanied the amphora on
the pyre; thus, two services can be identified among the
rest of the vases, one containing forms used in ‘toiletry
services’ (jug, patera), the other wine-drinking vessels (the
simpulum can be identified among these), which had been
placed onto the pyre� Its more distant examples are known
from burials at Emona385 and the surroundings of Emona, at
the small cemetery excavated at Polhov Gradec�386 At this
site, the bronze amphora most probably had belonged to a
wine service. During the 1st century, in the north-western
part of the province, the graves containing metal vessels
yielded mainly forms linked to wine-consumption.387 This
may indicate that our vessel also belonged to a set that was
intended to be used for the consumption of wine (or some
other type of alcoholic drink).
Surprisingly, a relatively small amount of the ceramic
offerings placed onto the pyres remained in the primary
cremations (Fig. 97.2). This probably relates to the fact that
these pyres were significantly rearranged following the
cremation� During this process, most of the pyre remains,
and with them the primary grave goods were probably
removed� Nevertheless, three out of the four burnt jugs had
come from a primary cremation� This draws our attention
to the fact that jugs may have had a more important role
among the ceramic offerings placed onto the pyre, than
seems to be shown by secondary cremations� Grave 4
is outstanding where next to 13 vessels for preparing or
consuming food (among them 8 plates) there are also three
forms for serving liquids as well as one for drinking�
Ceramic vases
In the contemporary secondary cremations (Graves 6, 10,
19 and 24) forms for preparing / serving and consuming
foods are the most dominant; while the forms for serving
and consuming liquids (Fig. 97.2) are lacking. More
pottery was deposited in the primary cremations, than in
the secondary ones�
The ceramic vessels among the grave goods should be dealt
with in two units, separating the Early and Late Roman
burials�
We have categorized each type into groups according to
function:
Forms for cooking / storing food,
Forms for serving food,
Forms for consuming food,
Small storage vases (multifunctional),
Forms for storing liquids,
Forms for storing and pouring liquids,
Forms for consuming liquids,
Lids�
Six burials contained forms for consuming liquids� One
third definitely dates to the 3rd century (Graves 22 and 25).
This means that half of the burials containing ceramics,
with a more lenient treatment of dating, that is, a third of
all the burials contained forms fit for drinking� This may
indicate that the importance of forms for drinking may have
grown during the 3rd century; yet, due to the small number
of burials, this observation has to be dealt with cautiously�
Ceramic vases from the Early Roman burials (Fig. 97.1)
The review of ceramic offerings in the burials serves with
another important lesson� The residual ceramics found in
the graves shows an interesting composition: 32 vessels of
forms for preparing / storing food, 9 small storage vessels,
and 4 vessels for consuming food were found; whereas
for the consumption of liquids only 2 cups and 14 jugs
are known� The number of jugs exceeds that of the jugs
known from graves (both in primary and secondary types).
All this obviously indicates that the composition of residual
vessels was influenced by a different principle than the
selection of offerings� The residual ceramics found in the
burials (if there are no other activities before or after the
phase of cemetery usage in the area) are comprised of the
remains of rituals conducted at the cemetery during the
burials and later visits� The residual sherds from the graves
may indicate that these were initially such forms as were
suitable for the storage of food and the serving, pouring
of liquids. For example: food and drink was carried to the
graves and a libation offering was carried out�
We have only included those assemblages containing
ceramic vases which can be identified as burials (31
graves).
On examining all the Early Roman burials, the most
frequent vessel type among the primary grave goods is the
jug� This is followed by forms for preparing and storing
food, and lastly by those for consuming and serving food�
There are no forms for drinking liquids�
Among the secondary grave goods, forms for
preparing / storing food (22 vessels, of which 10 served as
Horváth et al. 2012, 190-192.
Breščak 1982, No. 108, 54, T. 24.
386
Breščak 1982, No. 107, 54, T. 24. A superb summary of the ind
material from the Polhov Gradec cemetery is given by Zsolt Mráv (2005).
Dr Dragan Božič, who independently studied this cemetery, has found
such unpublished data, which prove that it was not a single burial, but a
smaller family burial complex -we would hereby like to thank Dr Dragan
Božič for sharing these results with us-.
387
Alföldy 1959-1960 [1961], 7.
384
385
Obviously, we can only gain an accurate picture after the
processing of the complete ‘residual’ ceramic material. The
32
Burial customs
the best parallels for the number and quality of the Samian
vessels is given by Grave 5 at the cemetery of Alsópáhok
where, according to the potter’s stamp, a part of a Samian
ware service was deposited,389 with two pieces from each of
the two functional categories�
study of the Samian ware infers that these vessels were still
used in the rituals of the cemetery after they had ceased
to be deposited as grave goods� This is indicated by the
sherds from vessels that were the products of southern and
central Gaulish workshops found in various structures (see
Fig. 95). The latest piece is the work of the potter Sedatus
of Lezoux� This Samian ware cup was probably made
between 130-150, but based on the signs of wear it had been
in use for a longer period� After the third quarter of the 2nd
century, the use of Samian ware at the excavated cemetery
sector stopped (the complete Samian ware material of the
site can be found in a separate table: Fig. 95).
The grave goods of the other burial (Grave 6) are much
more humble: only a single Samian plate was deposited
there�
As we have mentioned before, Samian ware was not
deposited in graves after the reign of Trajan, although, as
proven by the residual sherds, they stayed in use until the
end of the 2nd century during the various actions conducted
in the cemetery� The finds from Savaria show a similar
tendency�390 After the import of Italian Samian ware had
ceased, the use of this pottery type decreased among grave
goods of the cemeteries�
We must also mention in brief the role of imported ware�
The imported ware deposited in the graves can be divided
into two groups� The first group comprises such vessels
that were imported for the materials they contained and
transported� Therefore, they were primarily used as
packaging, deposited as such in the burial complexes, or
for their prestige gained from the imported materials� The
re-use of these empty packaging materials instead of a
locally-produced vessel belonging to a similar functional
category may have been secondary� The amphorae and
pottery balsamaria also belong to this group�
This can partially be explained by the fact that the
best known horizon of the cemeteries of the colonia is
contemporary with the importation of the Italian Samian
ware; and that the Southern and Central Gaulish ware
could be more costly than the Italian pieces (it is probably
not by chance that the late mass produced material from
the Po valley is to be found in largest number, while the
contemporary Southern Gaul pieces are missing). It is likely
that similarly to Poetovio,391 a complex explanation is to be
sought here as well� With the reorganization of economic
relationships in the province, the economic role of the town
must have also changed� The veterans tried their luck near
their former places of service or in settlements along the
limes, as a consequence of which the market reduced� The
change in the appreciation of Samian ware as a grave good
may also have played a role in their gradually less frequent
deposits among grave offerings� Another special feature
of burials has to be mentioned as well, which distorts the
picture� The burials known from Savaria are almost all
secondary cremations, the pyres used for cremation are
completely unknown� Therefore, we can only form our
concepts on secondary grave goods�
The second group consists of those vessels that had locally
produced equivalents; therefore, the deposit of the more
expensive, but in many cases better quality pottery was
an alternative choice� These are essentially fine tableware,
especially for serving, as well as for consuming food and
drink� Only this category can be found among the ceramic
grave goods at the cemetery� The Samian ware vessels
are the only ones that can be regarded without doubt as
imported pottery (on the uncertainty surrounding the place
of production of the thin-walled ceramics see above).
Only two graves contained Samian ware among their
grave goods� In Grave 4 we find three identical Samian
plates (Consp. 20) with three identical small bowls with
everted rims next to them� Without doubt, they comprised
a functional ‘set’ which, for the sake of an example, may
have contained three different types of food offering
(among them a domestic hen) and three different sauces.
The assemblage can be interpreted in another way too,
however� The remains of two individuals were buried in the
grave� One plate contained the food� The other two plates
may have been for the two individuals to eat the offerings
from, with the sauces or other kinds of food deposited in
the small bowls with inverted rims� The large number of
imported wares, as well as the grave type, surely implies
that the buried individuals had a higher status within the
community (this burial is known to contain the largest
number of ceramic offerings in the whole cemetery sector).
The six Samian vases deposited here can be compared
in number with those from the cemeteries at Csopak
(Veszprém County, Hungary), Grave 119 at Novo Mesto
(Slovenia), or from Grave B1 at the Kálvária cemetery of
Győr,388 yet they are all inferior in quality to these� One of
388
Among the two Late Roman burials, only one contained
pottery offerings (Grave 41). A small bowl for serving or
consuming food, and a handled mug for consuming liquids
were deposited in the grave�
Glass vessels
In the Early Roman phase of the cemetery small, perfume
bottles are the most frequent� A total of 11 balsamaria were
deposited in 6 graves: 2 as primary, and 9 as secondary
grave goods (Grave 4, 1 primary, 5 secondary; Grave 6,
1 secondary; Grave 7, 1 primary; Grave 10, 1 secondary;
Grave 26, 1 secondary; Grave 28, 1 secondary). Out of
Horváth et al. 2012, 183-184.
Márton 2008, No. 274-288, 164-165, with literature referring to
individual inds.
391
Márton 2008, 140.
389
390
Márton 2008, 150, with further literature.
33
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
members of the community burying here either brought
with them, or perhaps even adopted very early�
the 11 balsamaria, 9 dated to the earliest phase of the
cemetery sector, from a total of 4 burials (Graves 4, 6,
10 and 26), which is half of the graves that can surely be
dated to this chronological horizon� The pyre built into a
ditch is outstanding (Grave 4), containing 6 balsamaria�
This indicates that the community using the cemetery
during its earliest phase did not only employ the use of
perfumes, but could also afford them. A similarly largescale utilization of perfumes is seen at the cemetery sector
of Alsópáhok – Hévízdomb, where four of the six excavated
burials had contained glass bottles�392 Perhaps it is not by
chance that later the usage of perfumes diminishes, which
may infer a change in the grave furnishing habits�
Clothing accessories
The traces of organic materials observed around the
areas of the chest and pelvis of the skeleton in Grave 38
probably were originally from some type of clothing�
The crossbow brooch was found on the right clavicle of
the man buried in Grave 40 where it was intended to be
worn, which obviously infers that it was used to clasp the
garments of the deceased� It can be supposed that in the
majority of cases the deceased were buried dressed or
draped into a kind of organic material within the graves�
However, it is difficult to identify this based on its effect
on the process of the decay of the body when clothing
accessories are lacking�398
Apart from the practical usage of perfumes during the burial
process (washing the deceased, eliminating odours of the
decomposing body), they also conveyed symbolic meaning.
They had a role in separating the worlds of the living and
the dead, as well as in regenerating lost vitality�393
In the case of cremation burials, there are two aspects to
consider� The first are the garments and accessories worn
by the deceased, as well as further pieces placed onto the
pyre with the primary grave goods� The others consist
of the clothes and accessories given with the secondary
offerings for use in the Netherworld� Only a small number
of accessories are known from the cremations at the
cemetery: Grave 8, fibula, secondary grave good; Grave
11, fibula / belt clasp, primary or secondary grave good;
Grave 20, fibula, secondary grave good; Grave 28, belt and
its fittings, secondary grave good�
The first form for serving drinks appears in the 3rd century
(Grave 28). The burial dating to the 4th century (Grave 40)
contained a glass beaker�
Oil lamps
Seven oil lamps were found among the grave goods in
the excavated cemetery sector (Graves 4, 10, 11, 17, 22,
24, and 28). We must not forget that other equipment was
also used for lighting� Provincial examples of candles and
torches deposited in graves are also known�394
From inhumations: Grave 38, fibula; Grave 40, fibula.
After an overview of the finds, the following can be
observed� Accessories do not appear in the earliest
horizon of the graves (the earliest occurrence is from
the second quarter of the 2nd century, but most probably
only from the 40s of that century). In all probability, we
can document the characteristics of the burial customs
and their partial changes by this material� In the case of
Grave 38, based on the Almgren 70 / 73 fibula, we can
suppose that individuals with differing burial customs, in
the present case with indigenous traditions, had appeared
within the community�
Oil lamps were already deposited in the graves during
the earliest horizon (Graves 4, 10 and 24), which
indicates that the members of the community were using
this Mediterranean form of lighting in the burials as a
component of the grave goods as far back as the earliest
period known to us�
The appearance of oil lamps is frequently connected to
Romanization in the western basin of the Mediterranean�395
However, oil lamps are rare north of the Alps (Pannonia
is in an exceptional position in this respect), and are often
completely missing from the material�396 Can we say that
Aventicum (Avenches, Vaud, Switzerland) or Argentomagus
(Saint-Marcel, Indre, France) was less Romanised? Perhaps
it is best to speak of the reception of a Mediterranean style
of lighting and the rites connecting to it,397 which the
A very similar picture is portrayed in the cemeteries of
Savaria� There are also very few fibulae buried in the graves,
and they are almost entirely missing from the early horizon�399
Doorselaer 1967, 120-121; Scheid 1984, 120.
398
Bizot and Signoli 2009�
399
From an unknown location: an unknown ibula type, which entered
into the collection of the Museum of Graz with a ring-hilted sword.
The pieces of this ‘ind’ may not belong together: if they are part of the
same assemblage, the ibula is younger than the 1st century, Miks 2007,
No. A716, 739, with previous literature; Berzsenyi Dániel tér 3, ibulae
are mentioned among the inds from graves found between 1890-1893,
Kárpáti 1892, 69-70, 136 / 161 post quem and also at the same site: a
female doctor’s grave was found in 1896 dating to the 3rd century based
on its enamelled disc ibula, 200-275, Kárpáti 1897, 74, 4. kép and Künzl
1983, 118, with further literature; Hámán Kató út, Egészségügyi Iskola,
Grave 55, with a characteristic indigenous type of animal-headed ibula,
70-100, Mócsy 1954, 171, 186-187, 12. kép; Demetz 1999, ad TKF I c2
Nr. 6, 267; Rumi út 72-74, Grave XXVII, Buócz 1961, 234-235, 9. kép,
392
Horváth et al. 2012, 196�
Maurin 1984, 196-197; Scheid 1984, 120, 122; Bel 2002, 144.
394
For example, wax torches are known from beside a lead cofin:
Ports-sur-Vienne, site of Les Gros Chilloux (Indre-et-Loire, France),
Bosseboeuf 1899-1900 [1900], 186; Bosseboeuf 1899-1900 [1900]a,
228-229; Provost 1988, No. 52, 42, and for a similar ind from Pannonia,
from within a sarcophagus found at Győr at the site of Homokgödör in
1872, cf. Méry 1872.
395
Bel 2002, 145, with further literature�
396
Galliou 1989, 47; Castella 1999, 68, n. 105; Bel 2002, 146, with further
literature�
397
One of the functions of the oil lamps was to light the path to the
Underworld, to separate the two worlds of the living and the dead:
393
34
Burial customs
pieces of jewellery are known from the cemetery sector:
Grave 5, bronze ring with gemstone and bone bead as
primary grave goods, and row of glass beads as secondary
grave good; Grave 13, glass bead as primary grave good;
Grave 28, glass beads as primary and secondary grave
goods, and bronze pin with golden head and unidentifiable
gold plate; Grave 37, iron bracelet / anklet decorated with
silver rings and silver wire�
It is characteristic of the urban cemeteries of Pannonia during
the 1st-2nd centuries (thus in Savaria too) that the clothing
accessories worn by the deceased on the pyre do not appear
in the secondary burials (or they wore clothing without
fibulae or belts); and they rarely appear among the secondary
grave goods, therefore the deceased did not have to ‘appear’
in their everyday clothing within the grave� Therefore, it is
most likely that here we are dealing with the differences
between the burial customs of immigrant, ‘Romanised’
communities, and the traditions of indigenous ones� The
fibulae types appearing in civic cemeteries can frequently
be traced back to indigenous forms, as is the case in Grave
38, probably demonstrating individuals of indigenous origin
joining the communities. At the Nemesbőd cemetery we must
also come to think that accessories played an insignificant
part in the offering customs of the individuals buried in the
earliest horizon of the cemetery sector� Influenced by such
individuals who followed indigenous customs and with time
perhaps adapted to the community as well (as in Grave 38),
and possibly with the slow alteration of the burial practices
themselves (such as in the case of the knee fibula in Grave
20 which no longer connects to the indigenous formal
repertoire), their roles had adjusted. We must also mention
the belt from Grave 28, which we can define as an accessory
of a military garment� In Pannonia, a strong indigenous
tradition could be detected behind the burials containing
arms and militaria, lasting until the end of the 2nd century�400
This grave, however, is later, most probably not connected
to this tradition. The 3rd-century weapon finds and burials
with weapons and militaria found in civil areas belong to
veterans, armed civilians and paramilitary forces�401 During
the 3rd century, civilian and military society and dress
became more and more divided� This type of belt connects
closely to military garments and it is highly unlikely that the
wearer was not a soldier� Based on the age of the deceased
(between 20-30 years), he could not have been a veteran.
Perhaps we can identify him with a young soldier buried
near his family, or a young man preparing to become a
soldier, but who had died before he could take up service� It
was important for him to express his military status even in
the smaller community he had belonged to�402
The glass beads could not only be parts of necklaces (such
as in the case of the unburnt beads of Grave 5), but they
could be attached to items of clothing� Frequently, we find
a single bead in a burial (e.g. in Grave 13). These may have
served as amulets and apotropaic symbols�406 Glass beads
could substitute beads of minerals with similar colours
(amber, jasper, jet, etc.), and thus obtain their magical
and healing attributes,407 as generally the various colours
themselves carried meaning as well�
Jewellery
Toilette and cosmetic instruments
Pieces of jewellery were important means of selfexpression for women (and to a lesser degree for men
as well). It was easy to identify the social status of their
wearer on the basis of their jewellery�403 Relatively few
This category only contains the small, cylindrical bone
pyxis from Grave 8. In Pannonia they mainly appear in
urban cemeteries, and secondarily in cemeteries near
military installations� Thus, it is mainly immigrants,
individuals adopting the civil or military version of Roman
lifestyle who used these objects, and who also placed them
into their burials� They rarely appear in rural contexts�408
Their absence indicates that similarly to the clothing
accessories, it was less important for the members of the
community to add these objects to the grave goods�
The bronze rings could be items belonging to both
women and men�404 In Grave 5, regarding the feminine
characteristics of the bone remains and the glass beads,
these had been placed next to a female deceased� Rings with
gemmae are not frequent at rural cemeteries in Pannonia�
Its presence itself infers a Roman style jewellery type,
just as does the iconography of an eagle on the gemstone�
The iconography of rings with a gemma found in burials
can sometimes be linked with the funerary context, such
as a depiction of Mercury; nonetheless, these could also
be important gods and symbols of significance for the
owner�405 This ring depicting an eagle could have been
owned by a veteran or even one of his relatives�
The iron bracelet / anklet decorated with silver rings and a
piece of silver wire from Grave 37, as we have seen above,
has known parallels in Southern Pannonia� This may
indicate that its wearer was from that region�
119 / 122-150; Tompa utca, Grave 2, unidentiiable ibula type, 117 / 138285, Bíró 2004, 41. sz., 83, with further literature.
400
For Pannonian burials with weapons and further bibliography, cf�
Márton 2002 and Mráv 2006�
401
Cf� the synthesis of Nicolay 2007�
402
We know of various similar inds far from military camps, for example,
from Grave 10 at Nagykanizsa – Inkey kápolna (Zala County, Hungary),
Horváth 2003, 82-83, 8. kép, where a folded military belt was placed next
to the deceased; Söjtör (Zala County, Hungary), Mound 19, the mounts
of a military belt were also found in a grave dating between 222 / 235275 / 300, Palágyi and Nagy 2002, 38, Abb. 15.19.2-8.
403
Schenke 2003, 145-149, and on the jewellery inds of Roman cemeteries
with further literature 111-113.
Millet 1987, 68; Philpott and Reece 1993, 418.
Siepen 2001, 258; Guiraud 2008, 36.
406
Philpott 1991, 130, 133; Barber and Bowsher 2000, 68.
407
Crummy 2010, 54-55.
408
Keszthely (Zala County, Hungary), from the so-called Újmajor
cemetery, from a dispersed assemblage, Kuzsinszky 1920, 74-80;
Mezőszilas (Fejér County, Hungary), Tumulus VIII and perhaps also
Tumulus 2, Palágyi and Nagy 2002, 22-23, with bibliography.
404
405
35
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
others as well; while it is also possible that in everyday
practice the silver coins were symbolically substituted by
coins of smaller value and not of precious metals� The fact
that the coin offerings do not appear systematically within
the burials indicates that the reason for adding the coin to
the burial material is not just paying the money due to some
sort of figure to reach the Underworld�
Several exemplars are known from the cemetery sectors of
Savaria�409
Instruments
Writing instruments (stili and spatulae) were deposited in
Grave 10. These tools were the modes of self-expression
within society during the Early Roman period� They could
be a means of visualizing the ‘Roman’ culture of the
deceased, or even their professions�410
Coins may have been deposited among the funerary
offerings as objects symbolizing wealth and riches pars pro
toto,415 thus, providing the dead with an amount necessary
in the Netherworld� This may also be true in the case of
money purses (marsupia). The coins may have had a role in
confining the dead and protecting the living�416 In the Early
Roman burials of Pannonia during the 1st-2nd centuries,
deposited coins were mostly not of precious metals� The
as denomination predominates among them�417 This may
imply a standardized value, but it may also convey an
intent to use the denomination of the least value possible
for this purpose� However, the choice of coins did not only
depend on their values�
If the bone object made of antler was really a spindle whorl
(Grave 28), then it probably served as a way to express
the role of women� As it was a primary grave good, it
represented the ideal woman and wife primarily towards
the community�
Apart from these, only knives were found in the graves�
The Early Roman pieces are all long bladed knives or
daggers (Graves 2, 4, 11, 15 and 28); they are present
from the earliest horizon (Grave 4) to the end of the Early
Roman period� Their conditions infer that they had been
primary grave goods, and as such must have accompanied
the food offerings placed onto the pyres� The long hilted,
short bladed knife in Grave 40 can perhaps be classified
into the group of cosmetic knives�
The iconography and legends appearing on them were
also significant� The coins of colonia Augusta Nemausus
(Nîmes) are missing from the burials at Lyon (Colonia
Copia Lugdunum). In this case it is clearly one of the signs
of rivalry between the two cities�418 The comparison of
the composition of coins from the cemeteries of Brigetio
with the coins from the settlement made it obvious that the
reverse iconography and legend of the coins was just as
significant as their values when they were selected as grave
goods�419 The importance of the iconography and legends
for the choice of which coin to be interred was supported
by other studies as well�420 The choice was connected with
the age, sex, and probably religion of the deceased� Even
the detail of which side of the coin faced downwards had
its significance�421
Coins
All the coins from the graves were secondary grave goods�411
Among these graves, the dating of the assemblages is not
based only on the coins� In the case of Graves 4 and 10,
the coin could even have been buried in the year of its
issue; however, the As from Grave 26 must have been in
circulation at least 39 years before it was deposited�
For a long time the coins placed into burials were interpreted
as the fee to be paid by the deceased when travelling across
to the Underworld,412 of which the myth of Charon was a
later interpretation (the ‘minimal’ fee required by Charon
-naulos or mistos- was an obolos -or its equivalent, a
denarius-). But he was not the only one, who could request
money from the dead in the other world�413 The fee paid to
Charon was more common in the eastern, Greek-speaking
provinces�414 Yet its appearance in the region of Pannonia
cannot be ruled out either� This interpretation can be
suggested primarily in the case of silver coins placed into
the mouth or hand of the deceased (this cannot be observed
with cremations). The analysis is made more difficult by
the above-mentioned fact that apart from Charon, the
required amount of money may have been put aside for
Probably, in the case of the Pannonian burials with coin
offerings there is a mix of several traditions, and thus there
are various notions behind the presence of a coin� These
can be made clear by exact documentation, anthropological
analyses, the study of coin circulation at settlements, and
the cross-comparison of all these.
The graves with coin offerings all belong to the early
horizon of the cemetery sector� Three out of eight burials
definitely dating to this period contained a coin, which
implies that this offering type had a relatively significant
role during this era� We can probably trace a change in the
tradition of coin offerings by the disappearance of coins
from the burials after the middle of the 2nd century� The
reason for depositing a coin with the deceased observed
Rumi út 72-74, Grave XXVII, Buócz 1961, 234-235; Rumi út 78, Grave
1, Buócz 1964, 118-119; Tompa utca, Grave 2, Bíró 2004, No. 41, 83.
410
Boeselager 1989; Feugère 1993, 146-148.
411
Grave 4, Cat. 44; Grave 10, Cat. 8; Grave 26, Cat. 9.
412
Estiot 2001, 518.
413
We may think of the igures of Aeacus or even Dis Pater: Găzdac
Alföldy and Găzdac 2009, 163. But it is also possible that there had been
other similar igures requesting money from the deceased not appearing in
the extant written sources�
414
Poux 2009, 34�
409
Grinder-Hansen 1991, 215.
Grinder-Hansen 1991, 215.
417
Cf. the only summarizing study thus far: Fitz 1979-1980 [1980].
418
Flück 2009�
419
Găzdac Alföldy and Găzdac 2009, 166-170.
420
Perassi 1999; Crummy 2010, 60-66.
421
Crummy 2010, 67-68.
415
416
36
Burial customs
On a Samian ware plate in Grave 4, the rump with wings
of a domestic hen was served�426 A similar presentation,
also on a Samian ware plate, is known from Carnuntum�427
In Grave 5, the following bones were found, probably
belonging to one pig: head, bone-in spare rib, spare ribs
and forequarter hock�428 The exact position of the bones
during excavation is not known, so it cannot be discerned
whether they had belonged to the secondary grave goods
or not� Based on the bones belonging to a single specimen,
the bone-in spare rib, forequarter hock and foot can much
rather be identified as secondary grave goods, than as
residual material� Grave 6 contained the possibly carved
foot part of a sheep / goat�429
by the generations of the earliest horizon were not, or less
important to the generations after�
A similar proportion can be noticed at the cemetery sector
of Zanat from the territories of the colonia as well. At
the site, two out of the nine burials of value dating to
the Flavian-Trajanic / Early Hadrianic periods contained
coins�422 All this shows that the communities using the
cemeteries placed coins into the burials at an early stage, if
not from the very beginning�
The box
In so far as the box found in Grave 37 did not serve as
a coffin for the deceased, then most probably it was not
deposited empty into the burial� Probably such objects
made of organic materials were placed inside it that did not
leave any archaeologically identifiable traces (e.g. clothes
or food).
The analysis of the material shows that the domestic hen
was the most popular food offering among the primary
grave goods. The burnt bones of a pig (head, ribs, forelegs)
were found in Grave (?) 33,430 which was associated with
Grave 6� This may indicate that pig meat may have had
a role after all within the offerings carried out during the
burial or a later visit to the grave, or among the goods
placed onto the pyre� We can think of a Mediterranean
practice of consecrating the grave, for example, where a
piglet is sacrificed (Porca praesentana).431
Nails, studs, hooks
Based on their condition, the majority of these had been
affected by the temperature of the pyre� They probably
served as implements for constructing and decorating
the pyre. The large, conical-headed nails (Grave 4) may
especially indicate some type of decorative function� A part
of them may originate from the furniture and other objects
(boxes, impromptu funerary beds, stretchers, etc.) placed
onto the pyre� Nevertheless, we must not forget that they
may also have reached the pyre indirectly, for example,
with the wood material used for the preparation of the pyre�
Food offerings of meat parts containing bones as secondary
grave goods are only known from the earliest horizon of the
cemetery sector� The domestic hen, pig and goat are also
found among these examples� Based on archaeozoological
examination, in the case of pigs the first quarter of the
animal, that is, the valuable, but not the best part (ham,
hindquarter hock) of the slaughtered animal was sacrificed.
Their absence in later burials may indicate that there had
been a change in what was sacrificed and offered, as well
as eaten� The meat offerings had disappeared from the
offerings, or were deposited into the grave boneless�
Food offerings
Based on the finds, we only get a rather incomplete picture
about the food offerings� Among the offerings placed on
the pyre, those food types that were boneless may have
completely incinerated� The fills of the graves were not
levigated during the excavation; thus, any plant remains that
they may have contained have not been analysed� The pyres
were partially cleared and reorganized to a large extent; so
it is exactly the uppermost layer that disappeared, which
would have contained most of the food offerings placed onto
the pyre� On the other hand, only those remains were found
in the secondary cremations which were taken out with the
bone remains or with the remains of the pyre and placed into
the graves� We could only determine the parts with bones
among the secondary grave goods�423
From the cemeteries of Savaria, we do not know of any
food offerings� On the basis of this, therefore, we cannot
draw any conclusions about the food offerings placed onto
the pyre, as the human remains from most of the cremated
burials have not been examined, and the animal bones
mixed in with these are not known to us� Regarding the
secondary grave goods, it can be determined with more
certainty that cooked and roasted meat with bones had a
less important role within the food offerings�
Summary
As primary grave goods: small ungulate (sheep / goat or
pig)424 and domestic hen�425
At the site of Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő, a sector
of a cemetery used in the Early and Late Roman periods
was excavated� It contained 37 burials (a further three
features cannot be identified with certainty, and another
422
426
In Grave 5 as a primary grave good, while in Grave 6 above the tegulae,
as a secondary grave good, Bíró 2005 [2006], 56.
423
The archaeozoological material is discussed in detail by Éva Ágnes
Nyerges in her study in a separate chapter�
424
Grave 22, Cat� 12, sheep / goat or pig, at least the head�
425
Grave 22, Cat. 11, wing, rump and upper thigh from one specimen; Grave
24, Cat. 8, limb section.
Grave 4, Cats� 2, 61�
Gräberstraße (1897-1898), Grave 15, Groller 1899, Taf. XII. Fig. 8; Groller
1900, 105�
428
Grave 5, Cats. 41-42.
429
Grave 6, Cat� 13�
430
Grave (?) 33, Cat. 7.
431
Bel 2002, 139�
427
37
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
communities�433 The Samian ware and thin-walled vessels
do not only bear witness to the material wealth of the
community, but also sheds light on the use of Roman vessel
types for consuming food and drink, or at least this was
how they wanted to furnish their dead� The pyres built into
and above a ditch appeared with the Roman occupation
of Pannonia� The cradle of this burial form should be
sought in Northern Italy� It had spread from there to other
provinces partially by military movement and enlistment�
On the basis of the above, the early phase of the cemetery
sector connects to an immigrant community (or their
descendants), who most probably had come from Northern
Italy�434 Based on the pyres built in and above ditches, they
might equally have come from Southern Gaul,435 as this
had also been a popular grave type there� The evidence for
this is the knowledge of writing within the cemetery, the
Samian ware and bronze vessels, and the pyres built into or
above a ditch� The burial customs of this little community,
who perhaps were the inhabitants of a villa estate, can
be followed through the following three centuries�
can be defined as the traces of a type of ritual sacrifice,
or perhaps a pit containing the pyre remains). The burials
at the cemetery sector had begun during the Flavian era,
probably during its later years� The earliest graves are
positioned in three separate, well-defined areas. A group
of graves surrounded by ditches was located at the northeastern part of the excavation area� South of these stood
an isolated pyre built into a ditch, which acquired the
status of a burial� The latter contained the remains of two
individuals� Several signs indicate that this is a privileged
burial: this is the largest pyre (grave) in the cemetery area;
there had not been any further burials on an extensive area
surrounding it for a long time; and it has the richest grave
goods among the excavated graves (bronze vessels, Samian
ware service, imported oil lamp and perfume bottles). This
burial is well comparable with Grave 5 at the cemetery of
Alsópáhok – Hévízdomb,432 which based on an inscription
on a jug among its grave goods can be connected with
North Italian immigrants, or at least with their Pannonian
economic interests. North-west of this burial, we find some
early interments� The early phase of the cemetery was
oriented east -north-east by west- south-west according to
a geological or human feature� There were no burials near
the pyre built into the ditch for a long time, but next to the
graves surrounded by ditches, and aligned to them, there
had been interments until the end of the 2nd century� At the
south-west part of the cemetery sector, the burials show a
horizontal stratigraphy, with the younger burials appearing
more and more to the north� There was a transformation at
the end of the 3rd century, and the Late Roman burials are
only found at the southern borders of the excavated area�
During the 2nd century, it is possible that indigenous peoples
also appeared among the population using the cemetery
(indicated by the Almgren 70 / 73 type fibulae, and the South
Pannonian anklet or bracelet). It is also possible that other
individuals from various provinces had joined the community,
bringing the rite of the secondary cremation inside an imbrex,
which is extremely rare in the province� Their customs of
offerings had changed, with new forms of rituals and grave
types appearing (such as the ‘heap of bones’ burials and tile
graves), others vanishing (such as the primary cremations
and coin offerings). A member of the community had joined
the army or was preparing to do so during the 3rd century�
The coins and oil lamps among the grave goods of the
burials dating to the earliest horizon of the cemetery
indicate the ‘Romanised’, Mediterranean characteristics
of the burials. The incised inscriptions (Grave 4) show
the everyday usage of written Latin� The North Italian
Samian ware in Savaria and its environs are known from
burials connecting to the Boian elite – which we cannot
deal with here – as well as to veterans and immigrant
It is probable that the Early and Late Roman cemetery
forms a unit with unbroken use� In all likelihood, it is
exactly a section of this later phase of graves that should be
located outside the area designated by the line of the newly
constructed road towards the south�
Gabler 1973, 25-26; Márton 2008, 136-140, Fig. 1.a-b.
For the roles of North Italian immigrants within the population of
Savaria and its ‘territorium’, cf. Mócsy 1959, 37-38.
435
There are examples of South Gaulish immigrants in the ‘territorium’ of
Savaria: Mócsy 1959, Nr. 32 and maybe Nr. 90 /15.
433
434
432
Horváth et al. 2012, 168-173, 199.
38
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
András Márton, Endre Norbert Fülöp and András Radics
The features of the cemetery are discussed in an ascending
order of grave numbers� For easier interpretation, we
consider the enclosure ditches and their finds directly
after the graves that they had probably belonged to� In
the case of these features we have retained the original
Feature / Stratigraphic Unit (SU) identification numbers
which were used at the excavation�
sector that helps to easily identify the grave on the map
(Fig. 3).
The objects mentioned in the descriptions of excavation
and structural characteristics are followed by their numbers
in brackets as applied in the excavation records and on
drawings – if they were assigned one in the first place;
followed by the catalogue numbers given at the time of
their descriptions in the grave inventory�
The catalogue also includes previous literature referring to
the individual graves�
All the features appeared during mechanical scraping; thus,
we only discuss the details of how they became visible in
diverging cases�
If any of the definitions and descriptions given here
contradict earlier studies of the find material published in
preliminary reports, then we regard the data presented here
as valid without any further notification�
Abbreviations used in the catalogue
Bd = base
diameter,
Cat� = catalogue,
De = depth,
Diam = diameter, E = east, Fd = foot diameter, H = height,
Id� no� = identification number of the Hungarian National
Museum’s National Heritage Protection Centre,
L = length, Meas = measurements, N = north, No� = number,
Obv = obverse, Rec = reconstructed, Rd = rim diameter,
Rev = reverse, S = south, Th = thickness, W = west,
We = weight, Wi = width, Wth = wall thickness�
The measurements of a feature or object are given in
centimetres, measurements of weight in grams� In the
case of fragmentary objects, the data refer to the largest
measurable value of the dimensions applicable�
If not otherwise mentioned in the text, the glass vessels are
free-blown, the lamps were made in bipartite moulds and
the pottery is fast-wheel turned.
The dating refers to AD dates�
Ceramic type codes: DTCW: dark toned coarse ware;
ITCW: light toned coarse ware; PW: painted ware.
The incised inscriptions, anthropological data, and
archaeozoological data are based on the studies of Andrea
Barta, Gábor Tóth, and Éva Ágnes Nyerges, respectively.
Grave 1 (120 / 134; BI-16; Fig. 4)
Primary cremation�
E-W (60°) oriented, rectangular grave pit with rounded
corners, L: 118; Wi: 59; De: 25.
A brick was visible on the surface of the rectangular, black
filled structure� After trowelling, a burnt red stripe of daub
indicated its edges� Here it could be observed that the base
of the pyre extended beyond the borders of the pit� This was
inferred by a 6-8 cm wide light grey alteration. The first
ceramic finds appeared high up during excavation� A grey
jar (Nos. 3a, b and 4; Cat. 3), a deep bowl with horizontal
rim (Nos. 1a, b; Cat. 4), and a small grey storage vase (No.
6; Cat. 5) were placed in the western corner of the grave pit.
The broken fragments of a large ceramic object were found
in the northern section of the grave, which on site were
identified as the pieces of an ‘amphora’ (No. 5; Cat. 7), and
‘amphora stand’ (Nos. 2a, b; Cat. 7). Fragments belonging
to this object were also found at the eastern edge of the
grave�
Anthropological analysis: 152 g of sandy-yellow and grey
calcined bones of a 15-25 year-old, unsexed individual
(with feminine traits).
Structure of the catalogue entries
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Grave No. / Feature No. (Feature / SU; the number of
the excavation sector; figure no. of the drawing of
the grave and its finds).
Definition of the feature�
Previous bibliography concerning the grave�
Orientation, measurements of the feature�
Description of the feature and its excavation�
Anthropological data�
Categories of finds: primary, secondary grave goods
and residual finds; in the case of skeleton burials:
grave goods and residual finds�
Dating�
List of finds�
The numbers in brackets following the grave number
indicate the number identifying the feature during the
excavation; among these the first is the feature, the second
the stratigraphic unit� The code refers to the excavation
39
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Primary or secondary grave good: 7. Secondary grave
good: 3-5. Residual: 1-2, 6.
Dating: 75-115.
in a way that rims were formed on both parts, thus
strengthening the stability of the joins� Only after
this had been completed was the ‘door’ opening cut
out of the lower cylindrical part� This is indicated
by the fact that the weight of the upper part above it
had not induced the collapse or deformation of the
opening� The edges of the hole had been smoothed
with a wet hand�
Orange-red clay, medium tempered with rough
sand. It was probably fired at a low temperature; its
fabric is highly porous. H: 58; Bd: 29.5; Separating
profiled rim Diam: 36.5; Opening Diam: 11×12;
Wth: 2.5; Id. nos.: 48.38574.134.9-10 (Figs. 6; 83).
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
Jug, fragments: fragment of a tripartite strap handle,
perhaps from a double-handled jug, and unjoining
body sherds. LTCW, light greyish-yellow, medium
tempered with sand. Handle L: 5.3; Wth: 0.4; Id.
nos.: 48.38574.134.4-5 (Fig. 5.4).
Jug, partially joining sherds: base fragment with start
of the body� The low ring foot separates from the
body with a small rib� LTCW, fired to yellow, medium
tempered with sand. H: 4; Wi: 3; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.:
48.38574.134.6 (Fig. 5.6).
Jar (Nos. 3a, b and 4): reconstructed from
several sherds� Flat base, ovoid body, narrowing
significantly towards the base� Steep shoulder, short
neck decorated with horizontal ribs, upright rim with
a triangular section� DTCW, grey, medium tempered
with sand. H: 26; Rd: 18; Bd: 10; Wth: 0.4; Id. nos.:
48.38574.134.1 and 8 (Figs. 5.3; 76�2).
Deep bowl with horizontal rim (Nos. 1a, b):
reconstructed from several fragments� Flat base,
deep, downward narrowing body, almost straightwalled on the top, slightly inward curving towards
the rim� Horizontally everted rim, slightly heading
downwards, with arched top surface� On the body,
at its greatest diameter, four horizontal incised lines�
LTCW, reddish-yellow, fired grey here and there,
medium tempered with rough sand. H: 9; Rd: 14;
Bd: 6; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.134.2 (Figs. 5.5;
80�1).
Small storage vase (No. 6): restored from several
sherds� Slightly concave base, ovoid body with
curving wall narrowing slightly towards the top and
the bottom� Short neck, upright rim with rounded
surface and curved sides. DTCW, greyish-brown
spots, medium tempered with rough sand. H: 11;
Rd: 8.8; Bd: 5; Wth: 0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.134.3
(Figs� 5.2; 77�7).
Lid, rim glued from several sherds: its side is
horizontally cut. LTCW, reddish-brown, medium
tempered with sand, with traces of a dark brown slip
on its exterior. H: 3.6; Rec Rd: 18; Diam: 24; Wi: 8;
Wth: 0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.134.7 (Fig. 5.1).
‘Lamp house’ (?) (Nos. 2a, b and 5): glued from
several fragments, most of the bottom is missing�
It was assembled from two parts; the bottom of
the lower piece is flat, its wall is curved, with an
elongated opening cut around its middle that is
vaulted on its top side and just slightly arched on its
bottom� Due to the damage of the bottom, it cannot
be decided whether it was solid or hollow� A jutting,
profiled rim separates it from the elongated, coneshaped upper part�
The lower cylindrical part and the conical upper half
were turned separately� The two parts were joined
together while they were still wet and shapeable
Grave 2 (122 / 136; BI-17; Figs. 7.1-2)
Primary cremation�
E-W (64°) oriented, rectangular grave pit with rounded
corners, L: 142; Wi: 82; De: 41.
The feature appeared indistinctly with daub and charcoal
on its surface. The burnt, dauby edges were 3-4 cm thick; it
can be observed next to it that the base of the pyre extended
over the edges of the pit� This was indicated by a light grey
alteration� Most of the grave goods were placed in its eastern
half, including the sherds of a jug (No. 2; Cat. 2), a small
storage jar (No. 1; Cat. 4), and an iron knife (No. 3; Cat. 5).
The fill in this part of the grave contained a large amount of
charcoal� The scattered calcined bones were found mostly in
this stratum�
Anthropological analysis: 204 g of grey and coal-black
calcined bones of a 20-30 year-old man.
Primary grave good: 1, 2. Primary or secondary grave
good: 5. Residual (?): 3.
Dating: 80-200.
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
40
Jug, fragmentary: glued from several sherds, the
upper section of the neck and spout are missing�
It has a squat, slightly conical ring foot, a slightly
asymmetrical globular body elongated on its top
and bottom, a narrow shoulder, and a narrowing
cylindrical neck� A tripartite strap handle runs
up from the shoulder to the bottom of the neck�
LTCW, clay originally fired to orange-red, but has
mostly turned grey as is secondarily burnt, medium
tempered with sand. H: 24; Handle Wi: 3; Bd: 6;
Wi: 17; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.136.1 (Figs. 7.4;
79�1).
Jug, partially joining, glued body fragments (No�
2): DTCW, grey fabric, slightly tempered with sand.
Secondarily burnt. H: 3.5; Wi: 2; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.:
48.38574.136.3.
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Grey fabric, medium
tempered with rough sand. H: 3.1; Wi: 2; Wth: 0.4;
Id. no.: 48.38574.136.4.
Small storage vase (No. 1): Flat bottom, the
elongated ovoid body narrows towards the base�
Arched shoulder, a horizontal rib articulates its
short neck� Rounded, upward curving rim� DTCW,
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
5�
clay fired to black, medium tempered with medium
rough sand. H: 9.5; Rd: 7; Bd: 4; Wth: 0.3; Id. no.:
48.38574.136.2 (Figs. 7.3; 77�3).
Iron knife (No. 3): intact. Its point is slightly blunt.
Its tang tapers towards the hilt� The spine and the
cutting edge of the blade is straight at a two-thirds
length starting from the hilt, then breaks slightly
towards the point and arches downwards in a gentle
curve. L: 16.5-12.2 (blade); 4.3 (hilt); Th: 0.5; Id.
no.: 48.38574.136.5 (Figs. 7.5; 89.3).
5�
Grave 3 (124 / 138; BI-17; Figs. 8.1-2)
Grave 4 (191 / 208; BJ-05; Figs. 9-10)
Cremation in a ceramic urn, which was deposited in the
area of a pyre built above a pit�
N-S (346°) oriented, elongated, rectangular grave pit with
rounded corners more pronounced at its northern end than
at its southern one, L: 182; Wi: 50; De: 43.
The limits of the structure were observed as burnt red
stripes. Next to the 3-5 cm thick burnt dauby edge, it can
be well observed that the base of the pyre extended over
the edges of the pit� This was indicated by a light greyish,
at times reddish burnt alteration. A jug (No. 1; Cat. 1) and
a small storage vase (No. 4; Cat. 5) containing a part of
the calcined bones, were placed along the axis of the grave
pit; and a plate (Nos. 2-3; Cat. 4) lay in the south-western
corner� The fill of the grave surrounding the finds contained
a lot of charcoal and ash� The remains of a larger piece of
wood (L: 51; Wi: 5-12 cm) lay at the bottom of the grave
pit� A few larger sized calcined bones were recovered from
the fill of the grave�
Anthropological analysis: 310 g of greyish-white, grey and
coal-black calcined bones of a 25-50 year-old man.
Secondary grave good: 1, 4-5. Residual (?): 2. Residual: 3.
Dating: 80-200, most probably 80-125.
Primary cremation� Pyre built into ditch, which had gained
the status of a burial according to the secondary grave
goods�
Bib: Ilon 2010, No. 21, 30-31; Fülöp et al� 2010�
N-S (343°) oriented, rectangular grave pit, L: 311; Wi: 250;
De: 80.
The grave appeared as a light brown filled, rectangular
structure� Its edges were indicated by a strip of daub
thoroughly burnt through� Its fill turned ashy at a depth of
50 cm� The large pieces of calcined bones were found in a
6-10 cm thick, 83×35 cm stratum oriented NW-SE, in the
centre of the grave. The 38 grave goods were piled on top
of it. They consisted of a large jar (No. 1; Cat. 17), two
smaller jars (Nos. 14, 17; Cats. 18-19), three small storage
vases (Nos. 3-4, 8; Cats. 22-24), three Samian plates (Nos.
5, 18-19; Cats. 1-3), three smaller Samian bowls (Nos. 2,
15, 21; Cats. 4-6), a thin-walled cup (No. 9; Cat. 9), a lamp
(No. 20; Cat. 10), two plates and a lid (Nos. 13, 16; Cats.
7-8, 28), three jugs (Nos. 6-7, 36; Cats. 11-13), seven glass
balsamaria (Nos. 10-11, 28-30, 35; Cats. 32-37), a burnt
and deformed bronze amphora (Nos. 12, 26; Cat. 40), the
suspension loops and a broken handle of a bucket (Nos� 24,
33, 37; Cat. 41), two bronze rings (Nos. 32, 38; Cats. 42-43),
a bronze coin (No. 31; Cat. 44), two iron (No. 25; Cats. 4748) and one bronze strap-holder (No. 23; Cat. 46), an iron
knife (No. 34; Cat. 45) and eleven iron nails (two indicated
as Nos. 22 and 27 on the grave drawing; Cats. 49-59).
There was food offering on one of the Samian plates (No�
18; Cat. 2): the rump with wings of a domestic hen (Gallus
domesticus).
Anthropological analysis: 1540 g of chalk-white, greyishwhite and greyish-blue calcined bones from two individuals,
a 30-40 year-old man and a 20-30 year-old woman.
Primary grave good: 8, 15-16, 20, 25, 29-31, 37-38, 40,
49-59. Primary grave good (?): 41-43, 45-48. Primary or
secondary grave good: 60. Secondary grave good: 1-7,
9-13, 17-19, 21-24, 32-36, 61. Residual: 14, 26-28, 39, 44.
Possibly the fragments of the knife’s sheath: 42-43, 46-47.
Dating: 80 / 81-120.
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
clay, medium tempered with micaceous sand. H: 4;
Rd: 19; Bd: 13; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.138.2
(Figs� 8.6; 80�3).
Small storage vase (No. 4): intact. Slightly concave
base, ovoid body narrowing downwards� Flat
shoulder, narrowing considerably at the neck, its
upper part is decorated with horizontal incised lines�
Short neck with upright rounded rim� DTCW, grey,
greyish-brown clay, medium tempered with rough
sand� The calcined bones were partially found inside
this vase. H: 11; Rd: 6; Bd: 4.5; Wi: 12; Wth: 0.3; Id.
no.: 48.38574.138.3 (Figs. 8.3; 78�2).
Jug (No. 1): intact. Ring foot with conical sides, a
profiled rim juts out at its bottom� Ovoid body with
tall shoulder� The cylindrical neck joins with a slight
break� A tripartite strap handle breaking in almost a
right angle starts from the shoulder up to the upper
part of the neck� Round spout with slightly upward
curving rounded rim� LTCW, yellow clay, medium
tempered with sand. H: 24; Rd: 6; Handle Wi: 3; Bd:
7; Wth: 0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.138.1 (Figs. 8.5; 79�2).
Jar, rim and shoulder fragments: outcurving rim
with triangular section; the short neck is decorated
with horizontal parallel lines� DTCW, dark grey
clay, medium tempered with rough sand. H: 3.2; Rec
Rd: 14; Wi: 13; Wth: 0.5; Id. nos.: 48.38574.138.4-7
(Fig� 8.4).
Jar, body sherds: LTCW. Reddish-brown clay,
medium tempered with sand. H: 2; Wi: 3.3; Wth:
0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.138.8.
Plate (Nos. 2 and 3): glued from several sherds, with
smaller missing fragments� Flat bottom and body
with steeply curving side, the diameter is slightly
narrowing at the rounded rim. LTCW, reddish-brown
Finds
1�
41
Samian plate with vertical rim (No. 5): applied
motifs below the rim: between two leaves (L: 1.9)
a garland (L: 3.5) – dolphin left (L: 2) – mask (H:
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
2�
3�
436
1.2) – dolphin left. Glued from several sherds, with
minor missing fragments. Potter’s stamp inside at
the centre: L°M°V° (in planta pedis), surrounding
it are two lathe-turned circles and a rouletted
ornament within a double circle. The dolphinshaped applications were made in two different
moulds, while the rest of the ornaments were cast
from a single mould each� Soft clay fired to a light
yellow colour. Red, orange-red glaze, shiny in
some parts and completely worn off here and there�
From a North Italian workshop in the Po Region�
Based on the quality of the material, it belongs to
the Fabric E. Form: Consp. 20.4.4. The potter’s
stamp is not listed either in the 2nd publication of
the CVArr, nor in the collection of Dénes Gabler�436
Thinner dolphin: Gabler 2003, Fig. 3. 5. Leaf motif
and garland: Gabler 2003, Fig. 4. 4.
Incised inscription (Inscriptions No. 3): on the
outside of the ring foot, on the bottom of the vase:
I TIIRATIS or I (?) Curantis; incised sign (perhaps
damage?) on the outside of the ring foot, on the
bottom of the vase: I (with lower footbar extending
to the left) or S�
H: 3.9; Rd: 17.6-17.8; Fd: 9; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.3
(Figs� 11.3; 12.3; 67).
Samianplatewithverticalrim(No.18):gluedfromseveral
sherds, with minor missing fragments� Applied motifs
below the rim repeated two times: between two leaves
(L: 2) a garland (L: 3) – rosette (Diam: 1.1) – pine cone
(H: 1.9) – rosette (2 times). Potter’s stamp inside at the
centre: C°T°S (in planta pedis); the mark is incomplete
due to the damage of the upper rightedge of the die; around
the stamp a rouletted ornament within a double circle�
A single mould was used for each type of the applied
motifs� Clay fired to a light brown colour� Dark red
glaze, at times worn and splintering� From a North
Italian workshop in the Po Region� Based on the
quality of the material, it belongs to the Fabric D�
Form: Consp. 20.4.4� Probably, the earlier phase of the
same die can be seen on a plate found at Szombathely:
Gabler 1973, Abb. 5. 23. Type of garland: Schindler
Kaudelka et al. 2001, Abb. 48. G6. Rosette type:
Schindler Kaudelka et al� 2001, Abb� 57� R46�
Incised inscription (Inscriptions No. 1): inside the
ring foot, on the bottom of the vase: I M D or A M
D; outside the ring foot, on the bottom of the vase:
C and X (the latter perhaps a defect?).
The food offering was placed into the grave on this
plate. H: 4; Rd: 17.2; Bd: 9; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.2
(Figs� 11.2; 12.2; 68).
Samian plate with vertical rim (No. 19): glued
from several sherds, with minor missing fragments�
Applied motifs under the rim: between two leaves
(L: 3) a garland (L: 3) – mask (H: 1) – rosette
(Diam: 1.1) – mask (H: 1). Potter’s stamp inside at
the centre: C °T°Su (in planta pedis); surrounded
by a rouletted ornament within a double circle� The
4�
5�
6�
7�
Gabler 2003, Fig� 1�
42
applications were made in one mould according
to each type� Clay fired to a light brown� Dark red
glaze, worn and splintering here and there� From a
North Italian workshop in the Po Region� Based on
the quality of the material, it belongs to the Fabric
D. Form: Consp. 20.4.4. Potter’s stamp: Gabler
2000, Abb� 9� 14�
Incised inscription: inside the ring foot, radially
(Inscriptions No. 3): M O H or M D I; exterior of
the ring foot on the bottom: X.
H: 4.7; Rd: 17.7; Fd: 9.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.1
(Figs� 11.1; 12.1; 69).
Small bowl with drooping rim (No. 2): glued from
several fragments, with smaller reconstructions�
Lathe-turned foot; lathe-worked lines on the two
edges of the rim; otherwise undecorated. Light
yellow clay, fired soft, porose. Orange-red glaze,
shiny in patches, at times completely worn off�
From a North Italian workshop in the Po Region�
Based on the quality of the material, it belongs to
the Fabric E. Very poor quality. Form: Consp.43.
Incised inscription (Inscriptions No. 4): on the side
of the vase, on its top: M D I (retrograde D).
H: 4.1; Rd:13.9-14; Bd: 5.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.5
(Figs� 13.2; 71.3-4).
Small bowl with drooping rim (No. 15): glued from
several fragments, with smaller reconstructions�
Lathe-turned foot; lathe-worked lines on the two
edges of the rim; otherwise undecorated. Light
yellow clay, fired soft, porose. Orange-red glaze,
shiny in patches, at times completely worn off�
From a North Italian workshop in the Po Region�
Based on the quality of the material, it belongs to
the Fabric E. Very poor quality. Form: Consp.43.
Incised inscription (Inscriptions No. 6): on the
outside of the body, on its top (?): I D [-] (or [M] D
I – retrograde D).
H: 4.5; Rd:14.8; Bd: 5.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.4
(Figs� 13.1; 71.1-2).
Small bowl with drooping rim (No. 21): glued from
several fragments, with smaller reconstructions�
Lathe-turned foot; lathe-worked lines on the two
edges of the rim; otherwise undecorated. Light
yellow clay, fired soft, porose. Red, orange-red
glaze, shiny in patches, at times completely worn
off� From a North Italian workshop in the Po Region�
Based on the quality of the material, it belongs to
the Fabric E. Very poor quality. Form: Consp.43.
Incised inscription (Inscriptions No. 7): on the
outside of the body: D.
H: 2.9; Rd: 9.2; Bd: 3.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.6
(Figs� 13.3; 711.5-6).
Small bowl with drooping rim (No. 13 /A): orangered, well-levigated clay; fired porous, extremely
crumbled, poorly preserved�
Incised inscription (Inscriptions No. 5): on the
outside of the body, on its top: M D.
H: 4.6; Rd: 18.6; Bd: 7.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.18
(Figs� 13.4; 80�8, 8a).
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
8.
9�
10�
11�
12�
13�
Small bowl with everted rim (No. 13 / B): glued
from several fragments. Low foot; wide, flat body;
outcurving everted rim thickening towards the
edges� The outward edge of the rim is only slightly
curving, almost straight. LTCW. Orange-red, welllevigated clay, fired porous, extremely crumbled�
Secondarily burnt. H: 3.8; Rd: 17.3; Fd: 6.6; Id. no.:
48.38574.208.19 (Figs. 13.6; 80�7).
Barbotine decorated thin-walled cup without handle
(No. 9): intact. Low ring foot, slightly concave at its
base. Deep, globular body with curving wall; curved
rim, everting in a sharp angle� Barbotine decoration on
the upper third of the body: horizontally placed berries
hanging on curved vines, with alternating arches on the
top and bottom� In order to avoid a motif hiatus the
lower arch of a vine is repeated. H: 5.5; Rd: 8.9; Fd:
3.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.7 (Figs. 13.5; 73.3).
Factory lamp (No. 20): intact. Its oil container is
round, its nozzle elongated and rounded� The discus
ring is reticulated and the discus continues in the
narrow channel within the neck of the lamp, which
narrows in the direction of the wick and terminates
following the edge of the wick hole� It has a single
air-hole. Potter’s mark surrounded by double
concentric circles on its bottom: CHRYSANˆTH�
Based on the burnt marks around the wick hole, it
had been used. Brick-coloured clay. H: 3; L: 10.5;
Wi: 7.1; Discus ring Diam: 4.5; Bd: 4.4; Wth: 0.20.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.8 (Figs. 13.7; 82�1).
Jug (No. 36): glued from several fragments. Low
ring foot, slightly concave at its base; globular
body, slightly elongated towards the neck and the
bottom; short cylindrical neck. The round spout
widens towards its upper end; its almost vertical
rim separates from the neck at a right angle, and
its upper end is rounded� A tripartite strap handle
breaking at a right angle runs up from the lower
section of the neck and attaches to its middle part�
LTCW, orange-red, well-levigated clay. H: 22.8;
Rd: 6.1; Handle Th: 1.2; Handle Wi: 2.4; Bd: 7; Id.
no.: 48.38574.208.9 (Figs. 15.2; 79�4).
Jug (No. 6): glued from several fragments. Low,
slightly conical ring foot; elongated, ovoid body;
high shoulder with neck narrowing at the middle�
Its spout is round with a slightly curved rim, and
is articulated by three horizontal ribs� The tripartite
strap handle curving backward from the lower
part of the shoulder runs up and connects to the
upper section of the neck, directly below the spout�
LTCW, finely levigated yellow clay. H: 24; Rd: 6.8;
Handle Th: 1.2; Handle Wi: 2.1; Fd: 8.4; Id. no.:
48.38574.208.11 (Figs. 15.1; 79�5).
Jug (No. 7): glued from several fragments. Low
ring foot; the middle of the base juts out. Conical
body with curving wall; wide, flat shoulder. Tall
neck narrowing towards the top, with a round
spout� Curving, everted rim� A bipartite strap handle
curving back from the edge of the shoulder runs
upwards and joins the centre of the neck� LTCW�
14�
15�
16�
17�
18.
19�
20�
21�
22�
43
Cream yellow coloured clay slightly tempered with
sand. H: 19.5; Rd: 5.6; Handle Th: 1; Handle Wi:
2.5; Bd: 7.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.10 (Figs. 15.3;
79�7).
Jug, body sherds: red paint on their exterior surfaces.
PW, orange-red clay, finely levigated. H: 5.5; Wi: 6;
Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.26.
Jug, partially joining fragments from the body: PW,
yellowish-brown clay, medium tempered with sand.
Secondarily burnt, with traces of red paint. H: 3; Wi:
2; Wth: 0.3-0.5; Id. nos.: 48.38574.208.30-32 and 34.
Jug, fragment of the ring foot: LTCW, yellow
clay, slightly tempered with sand� Secondarily
burnt. H: 1.6; Wi: 4.5; Rec Fd: 7; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.:
48.38574.208.37.
Jar (No. 1): glued from several fragments. Flat base;
its body is extremely narrowed towards the bottom;
short, steep shoulder, with three horizontally incised
lines on its upper section� Neck short, almost vertical�
Curving, everted rim thickens at its upper and lower
edges� DTCW, grey clay, tempered with rough sand�
H: 28.4; Rd: 21.7; Bd: 11; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.12
(Figs� 14.1; 76�3).
Jar (No. 14): glued from several fragments. Its base
is flat; its body narrows downwards with a steep
wall. High shoulder; short neck; outward turning
rim with flat sides and rounded edge� DTCW, clay
fired to black, medium tempered with rough sand�
H: 14.3; Rd: 10; Bd: 6; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.14
(Figs� 14.3; 75�5).
Jar (No. 17): glued from several fragments. Its base
is flat; its body narrows downwards with a steep
wall. High shoulder; short neck; the curving, everted
rim thickens at its upper and lower edges� DTCW,
dark grey clay, medium tempered with rough sand�
H: 14.9; Rd: 11.9; Bd: 6.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.13
(Figs� 14.5; 75�6).
Small storage vase, partly joining fragments:
outward turning rim with rounded edges� Traces of
red paint on its exterior� The body is decorated with
horizontal lines of rouletted (Rädchenverzierung)
patterns, from which the remains of five lines have
survived. PW, well-levigated greyish-brown clay,
secondarily burnt. H: 6.7; Wi: 7.3; Rec Rd: 12; Wth:
0.3; Id. nos.: 48.38574.208.21, 25, 48.38574.208.2728, and 36 (Fig. 14.4).
Jar, sherds: rounded rim fragments with sections
of the body� DTCW, medium tempered with rough
sand. H: 3.7; Wi: 6; Rec Rd: 15; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.208.38.
Small storage vase (No. 8): intact. Its bottom is flat;
its body slightly biconical; its short neck is decorated
by two horizontal, fine incisions� Short, oblique rim
with almost horizontal edges and a small groove on
its interior for the lid� There are traces of a black
substance on the rim. LTCW, clay fired to greyishyellow, medium tempered with rough sand. H: 10.1;
Rd: 7.8; Bd: 4.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.17 (Figs.
14.8; 77�6).
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
34� Glass balsamarium (No. 29): intact. The elongated,
bag-shaped body with an almost straight wall
narrows towards the neck� The long, cylindrical
neck becomes thinner towards the top; its diameter
is slightly larger than the diameter of the body
where the neck joins it. Rounded, funnel-like spout.
Transparent, light blue glass, with lots of large and
small air bubbles. H: 9; Rd: 2.1; Bd: 1.9; Id. no.:
48.38574.208.41 (Figs. 15.6; 92�7).
35� Glass balsamarium (No. 28): intact. Its bag-shaped
body is elongated, becoming thin towards the top,
with almost straight sides� The long, cylindrical neck
becomes thinner towards the top� Transparent, light
blue glass, with lots of large and small air bubbles�
H: 11.1; Rd: 2; Bd: 1.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.39
(Figs� 15.4; 92�5).
36� Glass balsamarium (No. 30): upper half of the vase
with the spout and most of the neck. Round, funnellike spout� The long, cylindrical neck becomes
thinner towards the top� Transparent, light blue
glass, with lots of large and small air bubbles. H: 8;
Rd: 2.1; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.43 (Figs. 15.8; 92�9).
37� Glass balsamarium (No. 35), two unjoining, burnt
and deformed fragments: from an elongated, baglike body that narrows towards the top, and from
a cylindrical neck� Light blue glass, with lots of
medium sized air bubbles. H: 4.4; Wi: 2.2; Id. no.:
48.38574.208.44 (Fig. 15.9).
38. Glass fragment: melted. Light blue glass, not
transparent, with lots of tiny and medium sized air
bubbles. H: 4.1; Wi: 1.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.45�
39� Glass splinter: from a vase of unidentifiable form.
White, transparent glass, with a few small and
medium sized air bubbles. Id. no.: 48.38574.208.67.
40� Bronze amphora (Nos. 26 and 12): burnt and
extremely deformed; one of its handles and some
smaller fragments of the body are missing. Cast;
its bottom was made lighter with a lathe, while the
handles were attached by soldering� Flat, footless
bottom with a point in its centre surrounded by
eight concentric lathe-turned circles. The conical
body narrows downwards; the shoulder is wide and
curved. Tall, cylindrical neck; the round spout joins
without a break� The outside of the rim is decorated
by four horizontal ribs; the top of the rim is rounded
off with a curve� Its handle has a square section,
breaking at a right angle� Its exterior is decorated
by a vertical incised line. H: 21.5; Wi: 12; Handle
L: 7.8; Handle Th: 0.9. Wth: 0.1; We: 39.2 (No. 12)
and 528 (No. 26); Id. no.: 48.38574.208.46 (Figs.
16.1a; 88.1).
41� Bronze attaches and handle (Nos. 24, 33 and 37):
one of the loops is fragmentary; the handle is broken
in half and deformed. The loop is arched; its once
semi-ellipsoid body has a rectangular section at the
centre that becomes round towards the extremities�
The ends are turned back in a curve; its head passing
through the loop is conical� One of the loops was in
its original position on the handle� The other one,
23� Small storage vase (No. 4): glued from several
fragments. Its bottom is flat; its body slightly
biconical; its short neck is decorated by two
horizontal, fine incisions� Its short rim is oblique,
with rounded edges� There are traces of a black
substance on the rim� LTCW, clay fired to a patchy
greyish-yellow, medium tempered with rough sand.
H: 9.4; Rd: 7.6; Bd: 4.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.15
(Figs� 14.6; 77�4).
24� Small storage vase (No. 3): glued from several
fragments� Its bottom is narrow and flat� Its ovoid
body is elongated, narrowing downwards; its short
neck is decorated by two horizontal, fine incisions�
Its short rim is oblique, with rounded edges; its edges
are slightly swollen at the top and bottom� There are
traces of a black substance on the rim� LTCW, clay
fired to a patchy greyish-yellow, medium tempered
with rough sand. H: 9.8; Rd: 8.5; Bd: 4; Id. no.:
48.38574.208.16 (Figs. 14.7; 77�5).
25� Small storage vase, rim sherd: oblique and slightly
rounded. LTCW, well-levigated; secondarily burnt.
H: 1; Wi: 3.7; Wth: 0.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.22.
26� Small storage vase, body fragment: DTCW, greyishbrown clay, medium tempered with sand. H: 3.8;
Wi: 3.5; Wth: 0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.29.
27� Small storage vase, body fragment: LTCW, grey
clay, medium tempered with rough sand. H: 4; Wi:
4.5; Wth: 0.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.33.
28. Lid (No. 16): glued from several fragments. Flat,
conical knob handle; tall and curved, concave
walled lid, with thinning rim� DTCW, g rey clay,
medium tempered with rough sand. H: 4.3; Diam:
13.7; Knob Diam: 2.6-3.1; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.20
(Figs� 14.2; 76�6).
29� Ceramic vase, body fragment: LTCW. Welllevigated; secondarily burnt. H: 4.5; Wi: 2.5; Wth:
0.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.23.
30� Ceramic vase, body fragment: LTCW. Welllevigated; secondarily burnt. H: 3.2; Wi: 1.2; Wth:
0.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.24.
31� Ceramic vase, body fragment: DTCW. Grey clay,
medium tempered with sand. Secondarily burnt. H:
3; Wi: 2; Wth: 0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.35.
32� Glass balsamarium (No. 11): intact. The elongated,
bag-shaped body with an almost straight wall
narrows towards the neck� The long, cylindrical
neck becomes thinner towards the top� Rounded,
funnel-like spout. Transparent, light blue glass, with
lots of large and small air bubbles. H: 8.8; Rd: 1.9;
Bd: 1.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.40 (Figs. 15.5; 92�6).
33� Glass balsamarium (No. 10) fragment: the upper
part of the neck and the spout are missing� The
elongated, bag-shaped body with an almost straight
wall narrows towards the neck� The long, cylindrical
neck becomes thinner towards the top� Transparent,
light blue glass, with lots of large and small air
bubbles. H: 7.3; Bd: 1.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.42
(Figs� 15.7; 92�8).
44
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
42�
43�
44�
45�
46�
47�
48.
49�
50� Iron nail: its spike has bent, otherwise intact. As
Cat. 49. L: 4.7; Th: 0.4; Head Diam: 1.3; Id. no.:
48.38574.208.57 (Fig. 17.1).
51� Iron nail: flat head, the point has broken off� As Cat�
49. L: 3.2; Th: 0.3-0.4; Head Diam: 1.2; Id. no.:
48.38574.208.56 (Fig. 17.2).
52� Iron nail: the point has broken off� Conical head,
long spike with a rectangular section. L: 34.8; Th:
0.5-0.6; Head Diam: 1.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.59
(Fig� 17.4).
53� Iron nail: the point has broken off� As Cat� 52�
L: 3.1; Th: 0.3-0.4; Head Diam: 1.2; Id. no.:
48.38574.208.60 (Fig. 17.3).
54� Iron nail: the lower part of the spike with the point is
missing. As Cat. 49. L: 2.5; Th: 0.4-0.5; Head Diam:
1.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.61 (Fig. 17.6).
55� Iron nail: bent and its point has broken off� Round,
flat head, relatively short spike with a square
section. L: 1.9; Th: 0.2-0.3; Head Diam: 1.1; Id. no.:
48.38574.208.62 (Fig. 17.8).
56� Iron nail: intact� Round, flat head, short spike with
a square section. L: 1.6; Th: 0.2-0.3; Head Diam: 1;
Id. no.: 48.38574.208.63 (Fig. 17.10).
57� Iron nail: intact. As Cat. 56. L: 1.6; Th: 0.2-0.3;
Head Diam: 1; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.64 (Fig. 17.9).
58. Iron nail: the head has broken off. As Cat. 56. L: 1.6;
Th: 0.2-0.25; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.65 (Fig. 17.11).
59� Iron nail (No. 22): the head has broken off. As Cat.
49. L: 5.1; Th: 0.3-0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.58
(Fig� 17�7).
60� Bronze object, fragment: flat, lengthy, curving plate
with a bronze rivet at one end. L: 2.3; Wi: 0.3; Th:
0.1; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.66 (Fig. 17.16).
61� The rump with wings of a domestic hen (Gallus
domesticus).
which is identical both in form and size, had without
doubt also belonged to the same bucket� This latter
piece also included the rivet for fastening� The
attachment loops consist of an originally round
suspension piece that had deformed to a slightly
drop-like shape during use, and three supporting
extensions originating from it� The loops were
attached to the bucket by a rivet each, which
were driven through the hole found beneath the
suspension loop� The two small fastening rivets
could only have enabled the carrying of lighter
loads� They were most probably the parts of a
wooden bucket� The fragment of the handle with the
loop: L: 7.4; Th: 0.3-0.4; Head Diam: 0.5; We: 8.2.
No. 33, handle fragment: L: 12.7; Th: 0.2-0.4; Head
Diam: 0.45; We: 9.74. No. 37, loop: L: 3.2; Wi: 1.4;
Th: 0.25; We: 2.44; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.47 (Figs.
16.2a; 88.2).
Bronze ring / band (No. 38): deformed, but otherwise
intact� Thinning towards its two edges, the wire was
bent to a circle, and its two ends with a round section
were twisted spirally and bent onto the ring with a
little overlap. Diam: 2.3; Wire Diam: 0.2; We: 1.5;
Id. no.: 48.38574.208.49 (Figs. 17.14; 87�10).
Bronze ring (No. 32): as Cat. 42. Diam: 2.3; Wire
Diam: 0.2-0.26; We: 1.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.48
(Figs. 17.15; 87�9).
Coin (No. 31): Obv: IMP T CAES VESP AVG
PM TR P COS VIII. Emperor’s head with laurel
wreath facing right, Rev: AEQVITAS AVGVST
S – C� Aequitas stands to the left, scales on the right,
holding a sceptrum in left hand. As, dating: 80-81
(minted for Titus), mint: Rome. Diam: 2.8; We:
10.26; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.50 (Figs. 17.18; 86�1).
Iron knife (No. 34): its point and the end of the tang
are missing� A tiny fragment of a plate made of a
cupreous alloy had corroded onto the surface of the
object where the tang meets the blade� The blade
has a straight spine, it becomes narrower towards
its point. L: 11.6-9 (blade); 2.6 (hilt); Th: 0.5-0.6;
Wi: 1.2-2.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.54 (Figs. 17.19;
89.7).
Bronze clasp / strap-holder (No. 23): fragmentary,
deformed. Cut from a thin plate and bent. L:1.2, Th:
0.05, Wi: 0.2; We: 0.14; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.51
(Fig� 17.17).
Iron clasp / strap-holder: slightly deformed, but
otherwise intact� Becoming pointed towards the
ends, its section is rectangular at its widest part; cut
from a thin plate and bent. L: 2.2; Th: 0.2; Wi: 0.50.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.53 (Fig. 17.12).
Iron clasp / strap-holder (No. 25): as Cat. 47. L: 2.6;
Th: 0.15; Wi: 0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.208.52 (Fig.
17.13).
Iron nail (No. 27): its point has broken off. Round,
flat head, long spike with a rectangular section�
L: 3.9; Th: 0.3-0.4; Head Diam: 1.1; Id. no.:
48.38574.208.55 (Fig. 17.5).
Grave 5 (99 / 112; BI-17; Fig. 18)
Secondary cremation�
E-W (262°) oriented, rectangular grave pit with rounded
corners, L: 142; Wi: 96; De: 24.
Burnt bones appeared on the surface of the light brown fill of
the structure� The majority of the calcined remains had been
placed in the NW corner of the grave. A thin-walled cup (No.
1; Cat. 2) and 20 glass beads (Nos. 2-5, 8-22; Cats. 4-9, 1427), probably in an organic container (bag?), were placed
at the centre of the bottom of the grave� The mixture of the
calcined bones and the pyre remains had been scattered
around these. Several iron nails (Nos. 6-7) also came to light
within the grave fill� Among the human remains, the bones
of a domestic pig (Sus domesticus) and of a more precisely
undeterminable small ungulate (small-bodied Ungulata)
were found�
The area belonging to the grave was surrounded by the
square Enclosure ditch 99 / 110�
Anthropological analysis: 408 g of greyish-white, greyishblue, sandy-yellow coloured calcined bones of a 20-30
year-old woman (?).
45
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Primary grave good: 28, 30-40. Secondary grave good: 2,
4-9, 14-27. Secondary grave good or perhaps residual: 4142. Residual (?): 3. Residual: 1, 10-13, 29.
Dating: 80-150.
13� Glass: small, undeterminable fragments (4 pcs);
white, transparent glass, with a few small air
bubbles. Wi: 1.3-2; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.23.
14� Glass bead (No. 14): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.6×1.5×1.3; Hole Diam: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.24
(Figs� 20.7; 87�1).
15� Glass bead (No. 21): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.6×1.5×1.2; Hole Diam: 0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.25
(Figs� 20.8; 87�1).
16� Glass bead (No. 22): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.6×1.6×1.2; Hole Diam: 0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.26
(Figs� 20.9; 87�1).
17� Glass bead (No. 20): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.6×1.5×1.2; Hole Diam: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.27
(Figs� 20.10; 87�1).
18. Glass bead (No. 19): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.5×1.5×1.2; Hole Diam: 0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.28
(Figs� 20.11; 87�1).
19� Glass bead (No. 18): intact, badly preserved. As
Cat. 4. Meas: 1.3×1.3×1.1; Hole Diam: 1.1; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.29 (Figs. 20.12; 87�1).
20� Glass bead (No. 17): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.6×1.5×1.3; Hole Diam: 0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.30
(Figs� 20.13; 87�1).
21� Glass bead (No. 16): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.3×1.2×0.9; Hole Diam: 0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.31
(Figs� 20.14; 87�1).
22� Glass bead (No. 15): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.6×1.5×1.3; Hole Diam: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.32
(Figs� 20.15; 87�1).
23� Glass bead (No. 13): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.4×1.4×1; Hole Diam: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.33
(Figs� 20.16; 87�1).
24� Glass bead (No. 12): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.6×1.4×1.3; Hole Diam: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.34
(Figs� 20.17; 87�1).
25� Glass bead (No. 11): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.6×1.5×1.2; Hole Diam: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.35
(Figs. 20.18; 87�1).
26� Glass bead (No. 10): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.5×1.5×1.4; Hole Diam: 0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.36
(Figs� 20.19; 87�1).
27� Glass bead (No. 9): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.5×1.5×1.2; Hole Diam: 0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.37
(Figs� 20.20; 87�1).
28. Glass vessels, melted fragments (2 pcs): bluishgreen, melted glass fragments with a bubbly
structure probably belonging to two (?) small, bagshaped perfume flasks (balsamaria). H: 4; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.38 (Figs. 19.4-5).
29� Glass fragments (3 smaller splinters): the object
type cannot be determined more precisely; white,
transparent glass, with a few smaller air bubbles�
Wi: 0.6-1.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.39.
30� Bronze finger-ring: intact. Burnt; the gemstone had
cracked and discoloured to white� As a consequence
of the heat that the ring was exposed to, the material
of the gem is unidentifiable to the naked eye� The
oval sectioned band widens towards the bezel� It is
Finds
1�
Samian plate with vertical rim, fragment of the body
with start of rim: from a North Italian workshop in
the Po Region. Form: Consp� 20.4 (?). H: 1.5; L:
3.2; Bd: 18; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.2 (Figs.
19�3; 72.2).
2� Thin-walled cup (No. 1): intact. Grey clay; a slightly
shiny black slip covers its surface� Low, flat ring
foot with a deep, conical body slightly narrowing
towards the top� The body is articulated by three
profiles on the upper two-thirds of the body; with
barbotine decoration between the upper two lines:
stylized tendril motifs interchanging with a row of
vertical lines constantly growing shorter towards
the next pattern� The almost vertical shoulder is
separated with a sharp profile from the body and the
rounded, vertical rim. H: 7; Rd: 7; Bd: 4; Wth: 0.2;
Id. no.: 48.38574.112.1 (Figs. 19�1; 73.1).
3� Small storage vase, rim sherds and disjoining wall
sherds: tall, curving everted and rounded rim;
globular body; with a horizontal incised line. DTCW,
brown clay, medium tempered with rough sand. Wi:
5×6.2; Rd: 10; Wth: 0.3; Id. nos.: 48.38574.112.3-4
(Fig� 19�2).
4� Glass bead: intact� Flattened at the top and bottom,
ribbed, with a globular body; its hole at the centre
has an axis following the direction of the ribs�
Blue glass. Meas: 1×1.2; Hole Diam: 0.6; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.14 (Figs. 20.1; 87�1-2).
5� Glass bead (No. 5), fragment: as Cat. 4. Meas:
1.6×1×0,6; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.15 (Figs. 20.2;
87�1).
6� Glass bead (No. 4): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.8×1.6×1.2; Hole Diam: 0.8; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.16 (Figs. 20.3; 87�1).
7� Glass bead (No. 8): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.6×1.6×1.3; Hole Diam: 0.7; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.17 (Figs. 20.4; 87�1).
8. Glass bead (No. 3): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.6×1.5×1.2; Hole Diam: 0.7; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.18 (Figs. 20.5; 87�1).
9� Glass bead (No. 2): intact. As Cat. 4. Meas:
1.6×1.4×1.3; Hole Diam: 0.6; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.19 (Figs. 20.6; 87�1).
10� Glass: small, undeterminable fragment without air
bubbles. Wi: 1.7×0.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.20.
11� Glass: small fragments (4 pcs). Two with a
decoration of parallel, thin engraved lines; white,
transparent glass, without air bubbles. Wi: 0.8-1.2;
Id. no.: 48.38574.112.21.
12� Glass: small fragments (3 pcs). One has a decoration
of parallel, thin incised lines; white, transparent
glass, without air bubbles. Wi: 1-1.8; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.22.
46
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
31�
32�
33�
34�
35�
36�
37�
38.
39�
40�
41�
42�
Roman sherds and the bones of a large ungulate (largebodied Ungulata). Measurements of the ditch: L: 21.5; Wi:
1; De: 0.5 m.
oval with an elongated oval-shaped gem in it, which
depicts an eagle with closed wings turning its head
back and facing right. Diam: 2; Th: 0.3; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.40 (Figs. 21.10; 87�8).
Iron nails (2 pcs): both pieces are intact; one is bent.
Flat, round head with a long, square sectioned spike�
L: 2.5 and 3; Th: 0.3; Head Diam: 0.7 and 0.9; Id.
no.: 48.38574.112.5 (Figs. 21.1-2).
Iron nail / hook (No. 6): intact or its head has broken
off� Its long, square sectioned spike is bent at a
right angle on the opposite side to its point. L: 5.3;
Th:0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.6 (Fig. 21.3).
Iron nail (No. 7): broken into two. Flat, round head
with a square sectioned spike. L: 1.5 and 2; Th: 0.3;
Head Diam: 0.6×0.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.7 (Fig.
21.4).
Iron nail, fragmentary: most of the spike is missing�
Flat, once probably round head with a rectangular
sectioned spike. L: 1; Th: 0.3; Head Diam: 0.7×0.9;
Id. no.: 48.38574.112.8 (Fig. 21.6).
Iron nail, fragmentary: with flattened head; most
of the spike is missing. As Cat. 34. L: 0.7; Th: 0.4;
Head Diam: 1; Id. no.: 48.38574.112.9.
Iron nail, fragmentary: most of the spike is missing.
As Cat. 34. L: 1.7; Th: 0.3; Head Diam: 1; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.10 (Fig. 21.5).
Iron nail, fragmentary: flattened head with spike
missing. L: 1.1; Th: 0.3; Head Diam: 1; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.11 (Fig. 21.7).
Iron nail, fragmentary: most of the spike is missing�
As Cat. 34. L: 0.8; Th: 0.3; Head Diam: 0.8; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.12 (Fig. 21.8).
Iron nail, fragmentary: most of the spike is missing�
As Cat. 34. L: 0.9; Th: 0.3; Head Diam: 1; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.13 (Fig. 21.9).
Bone bead (?): intact, burnt (?), white. Heavily
compressed, globular-shaped, with a thin
perforation. Meas: 0.5×0.7×0.8; We: 0.3; Id. no.:
48.38574.112.41 (Figs. 20.21; 87�3).
Domestic pig (Sus domesticus): bone-in spare rib,
forequarter hock, and foot�
Small-bodied ungulate (Ungulata), probably a
young pig: head and spare ribs.
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
8.
9�
Jug, body fragment: LTCW. The clay is badly fired
to orange-red, medium tempered with sand. H: 4;
Wi: 3.5; Wth: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.110.4.
Jar, sherd: fragment from a triangular sectioned
rim� DTCW, grey clay, medium tempered with
rough sand. H: 2.5; Wi: 3; Rim Th: 2; Id. no.:
48.38574.110.1 (Fig. 21.14).
Beaker (?), body fragment: with the detail of a
rouletted pattern (Rädchenverzierung) arranged
into horizontal lines. LTCW, orange-red clay,
well-levigated. H: 3.2; Wi: 2.5; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.110.2 (Fig. 21.15).
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Clay fired to a
reddish hue on its exterior, and grey on its interior�
Medium tempered with rough sand� Decorated
with rough combing. H: 3; Wi: 2; Wth: 0.7; Id. no.:
48.38574.110.3.
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Grey clay, medium
tempered with rough sand. H: 6.5; Wi: 4.5; Wth:
0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.110.5.
Storage vase, body fragment: handmade, clay fired
to orange-red, medium tempered with tiny pebbles.
Decorated with finger impressions� Bronze Age
residual find in the Roman feature. H: 4.5; Wi: 4;
Wth: 1.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.110.7.
Storage vase, body fragment: handmade. Fired
to brown on its exterior and brownish-grey on
its interior, medium tempered with tiny pebbles�
Decorated with finger impressions� Bronze Age
residual find in the Roman feature. H: 3.8; Wi: 4.2;
Wth: 1.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.110.8.
Small bowl, body fragment: LTCW. Orange-red
clay, medium tempered with sand, badly fired. H:
2.3; Wi: 1.8; Wth: 0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.110.6.
Bones of a large ungulate (Ungulata).
Grave 6 (101 /114; BI-12; Fig. 22)
Enclosure ditch 99 / 110 (BI-12, BI-17; Figs. 21.11-13)
Secondary cremation�
Bib: Ilon 2010, No. 21, 30-31.
N-S (10°) oriented, square grave pit with rounded corners,
L: 125; Wi: 120; De: 25.
There were pottery sherds, calcined bones and charcoal
on the surface of the light brown structure� Broken pottery
sherds appeared in the upper 15 cm stratum, some of them
secondarily burnt� Its fill was mixed with a large amount of
bigger charcoal fragments. A grey jar (No. 3) and a small
storage vase (No. 2; Cat. 7) were placed at the centre of
the grave� Sherds from other ceramic grave goods were
scattered around them� A glass balsamarium (No. 1; Cat. 8)
appeared at the bottom of its western part� When clearing
the bottom of the grave pit, an iron ring (No. 4; Cat. 4) and
an iron nail (No. 5; Cat. 10) were found.
It appeared as a black filled, square-shaped structure
oriented N-S with an opening on its southern side. The
ditch encircles a 6×6.8 m area, with Grave 5 at its centre.
Its western part is in superposition with Enclosure ditch
98 /108, while its eastern ditch superposes Enclosure ditch
101 /113. It forms a U-shaped profile with Enclosure ditch
98 /108 where the two meet. Their joint section formed
with Enclosure ditch 101 /113 clearly indicates that Ditch
101 /113 is younger� Two more superpositions could be
observed and documented within it: Pit 98 /109 was cut into
the centre of its western ditch section, while Grave 30 was
dug into the western end of its northern ditch� This implies
that it had already filled up when Grave 30 had been dug,
or the ditch had been covered over� Its fill contained a few
47
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
The area belonging to the grave was surrounded by
Enclosure ditch 101 /113�
Among the calcined human remains, bones of a precisely
undefinable animal, a sheep or goat (Caprinae) were found.
Anthropological analysis: 66 g of tiny and medium sized,
greyish-white, sandy-yellow and grey calcined bones of a
child (Infans-x years).
Primary grave good: 3, 9-12. Secondary grave good: 1,
4, 6-8. Secondary grave good or perhaps residual: 13.
Residual: 2, 5, 14.
Dating: 70-100 /120.
7�
8.
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
Samian plate with vertical rim, partially joining
fragments: soft, yellow clay; red, orangey-red glaze
becoming thin here and there. A lathe-worked line
is on the interior of the rim� Inside at its centre two
lathe-turned circles surround a rouletted ornament;
a lathe-turned circle runs towards the rim. There are
applied motifs under the rim: double leaf, dolphin
facing right, hare (?) twice. On another sherd a double
leaf made from a different mould; on yet another
one we find a dolphin facing right also made from
a different mould� From a North Italian workshop in
the Po Region� Based on the quality of the material,
it belongs to the Fabric E. Form: Consp. 20.4.4.
Dolphin type: Schindler Kaudelka et al� 2001, Abb�
44. D10 (but not from the same mould); hare’s type:
similar, but not identical to: Schindler Kaudelka et al�
2001, Abb. 61. T16. H: 4.2; Rd: 18; Bd: 10; Wth: 0.40.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.114.4 (Figs. 24.1; 70).
Jug, rim sherd: LTCW. Orange-red clay, slightly
tempered with sand. H: 2.5; Wi: 3.5; Wth: 0.6; Rec
Rd: 6; Id. no.: 48.38574.114.7.
Jar, rim and body fragment: globular bodied
with detail of grooved decoration arranged into
a horizontal line� There is a rib under the thick,
broadening rim. Slightly inverted rim; its top
horizontal; its side rounded. The wall of the body
was pierced through after firing. LTCW, orange-red
clay, well tempered with sand, secondarily burnt�
Rd: 15; Wi: 7×5.7; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.114.5
(Fig� 23.3).
Jar (No. 3): glued from several fragments. Flat base,
tall body narrowing downwards with curving wall�
Tall shoulder; short neck widening towards the rim
with a horizontal rib on it� Wide outcurving rim with
a triangular section; its upper surface is curved with
the remains of a black substance� LTCW, grey clay,
medium tempered with rough sand. H: 7; Wi: 6.5;
Wth: 0.6; Id. nos.: 48.38574.114.6 and 13 (Figs. 23.1;
76�1).
Small bowl, body fragment: red paint on its exterior.
PW, yellow clay, slightly tempered with fine sand�
H: 1; Wi: 1; Wth: 0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.114.1.
Small bowl: glued from several fragments� Low ring
foot with vertical sides; wide, flat body with curving
sides; strongly everted, outcurving rim. LTCW,
9�
10�
11�
12�
13�
14�
yellow clay, well-levigated. H: 4.8; Rd: 12; Bd: 4.5;
Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.114.2 (Figs. 24.2; 80�6).
Small storage vase (No. 2): glued. Narrow, flat
base. Ovoid body narrowing strongly downwards;
tall shoulder with short neck� Bevelled lip, bulging
on its lower and upper sides� DTCW, clay fired to
black, medium tempered with rough sand. H: 8;
Rd: 6.2; Bd: 3.2; Wth: 0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.114.3
(Figs� 23.2; 77�1).
Glass balsamarium (No. 1): intact. Rounded
bottom; bag-shaped body with straight wall;
the long cylindrical neck widens towards its lip�
Round spout with swollen and rounded lip. Bluishtransparent glass, with a few small and medium air
bubbles. H: 9.3; Rd: 1.5; Neck L: 6.5; Bd: 3; Id. no.:
48.38574.114.12 (Figs. 23.4; 92�1).
Bronze ring (No. 4): intact. Round section, with a
tiny fragment of an iron plate. Diam: 2.2; Th: 0.2;
Id. no.: 48.38574.114.10 (Fig. 23.5).
Iron nail (No. 5): intact. Flat, round head; long spike
with a square section. L: 5.5; Th: 0.3; Head Diam:
1.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.114.8 (Fig. 23.6).
Iron nail: its point is broken off. As Cat. 10. L: 4; Th:
0.3; Head Diam: 1 and 1.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.114.9
(Fig� 23.7).
Iron nails (2 pcs): fragment with flat head and
square section; fragment of a spike with a square
section. L: 4.2; Th: 0.3; Head Diam: 1 and 1.3; Id.
no.: 48.38574.114.11 (Figs. 23.8-10).
Sheep / goat (Caprinae) bones: from one or more
specimens: parts of the shoulder and the foreleg.
Small ungulate (Ungulata) flat bone fragment.
Enclosure ditch 101 /113 (BI-12-13, BI-17-18; Figs. 21�
12; 25.1-2)
The ditch appeared as a black filled circular structure
oriented N-S, with an opening at its southern side. The
ditch surrounds an area with a diameter of 7.8 m, and Grave
6 in its centre� Its western part is superposed by Enclosure
ditch 99 /110� Their joint section clearly shows that this
latter one is the younger� Its fill is hard and compact� Only
the top 20 cm contained a few Roman ceramics, including
two Samian sherds, as well as the burnt bones of a domestic
pig (Sus domesticus) and the very badly preserved remains
of a horse (Equus caballus). Measurements of the ditch: L:
23; Wi: 1; De: 0.5 m.
Finds
1�
48
Samian plate with vertical rim, rim sherd: soft, pale
yellow clay; slightly shiny red, orangey-red glaze
that has fired to brownish at some parts� Applied
motif under the rim: female (?) mask, with a triple
rosetted diadem in the coiffure� A thin profiled line
on the interior of the rim� From a North Italian
workshop in the Po Region� Based on the quality
of the material, it belongs to the Fabric E. Form:
Consp. 20.4. Secondarily burnt� The mask motif is
similar to, perhaps identical with the appliqué used
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
8.
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Greyish-brown clay,
medium tempered with rough sand. H: 4.5; Wi: 4;
Wth: 0.8; Id. nos.: 48.38574.113.7 and 10.
9� Jar, body fragment: LTCW. Red clay, medium
tempered with rough sand. H: 3; Wi: 3.5; Wth: 0.6;
Id. no.: 48.38574.113.9.
10� Jar, fragment: section of vase with flat base, steep
wall, and widening body� DTCW, grey clay, medium
tempered with rough sand. H: 4.5; Wi: 6.5; Bd: 14;
Wth: 1; Id. no.: 48.38574.113.11 (Fig. 25.5).
11� Pig (Sus domesticus): burnt bones from the lower
half of the foreleg of an immature specimen�
12� Horse (Equus caballus): very badly preserved remains.
by the L.M.V. Group (Schindler Kaudelka et al�
2001, Abb. 51. 12.). H: 1.3; Wi: 5.1; Rd: 18; Wth:
0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.113.1 (Figs. 26.3; 72.1).
Hemispherical Samian cup with short vertical rim
and pronounced flange on the wall, body fragment:
with part of the body below the rim and the flange�
Greyish-white soft clay. The light red glaze is shiny
in tiny specks, but mostly lustreless, fired brown
here and there. Part of an appliqué decoration (dog;
H: 0.8; L: 1) above the flange. From a North Italian
workshop in the Po Region� Based on the quality
of the material, it belongs to the Fabric E. Form:
Consp. 34. Secondarily burnt� Probably belongs to
the sherd with Id. no. 48.38574.113.13. If the two
sherds belong to the same vase, it was made by the
potter using the potter’s stamp Q(.) S(.) P(.) as a
signature� The appliqué motif is probably identical
with: Schindler Kaudelka et al� 2001, Abb� 61� T 5�
H: 3.5; Wi: 3.4. Wth: 0.4-0.8; Dating: Flavian. Id.
no.: 48.38574.113.2 (Figs. 26.1; 72.3).
Hemispherical Samian cup with short vertical rim
and pronounced flange on the wall, bottom fragment�
Greyish-white soft clay. The light red glaze is shiny
in tiny specks, but mostly lustreless, fired brown
here and there. Broken stamp: Q(.) S(.) P(.) [- (in
planta pedis (?)] at the centre of the interior. From a
North Italian workshop in the Po Region� Based on
the quality of the material, it belongs to the Fabric
E. Form: Consp. 34. Secondarily burnt� Probably
belongs to the sherd with Id. no. 48.38574.113.2.
Perhaps the same stamp: CVArr, No. 1765. 4, 376.
Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.113.13 (Figs. 26.1;
72.4).
Samian plate with vertical rim, fragment: soft grey
clay; traces of an orangey-red glaze on its surface.
Body fragment with the start of the ring foot and
the rim� One thin profiled line on the exterior below
the rim, and three others on the interior towards
the middle� From a North Italian workshop in the
Po Region� Based on the quality of the material,
it belongs to the Fabric E. Form: Consp. 20.4.2.
Secondarily burnt. H: 4.6; Wi: 7.1. Bd: 18; Wth:
0.8; Dating: Claudian-Vespasian / Titus period. Id.
no.: 48.38574.113.3 (Fig. 26.2).
Jug, bottom fragment: low ring foot, concave
base, with the start of the wall of the body� LTCW,
orange-red clay, slightly tempered with sand. Diam:
11; Wth: 0.8-1; Id. no.: 48.38574.113.12 (Fig. 25.4).
Jar, fragment: the tall, almost vertical shoulder is
decorated with horizontal burnished lines; the short
neck is articulated by a profile; bevelled rim with
a triangular section and a groove on its interior�
LTCW, yellowish-grey clay, medium tempered with
rough sand. H: 9-10; Wi: 6; Rd: 22; Wth: 0.6-0.7; Id.
nos.: 48.38574.113.4, 6 and 8 (Fig. 25.3).
Jar, rim and body fragment: LTCW. Orange-red clay,
slightly tempered with fine sand� Secondarily burnt�
H: 4; Wi: 3.5; Wth: 0.5-0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.113.5.
Grave 7 (104 / 117; BI-13; Figs. 27.1-2)
Secondary cremation� The calcined bones were mixed with
the pyre remains and scattered around the grave without
any observable container (simple cremation?).
E-W (91°) oriented, elongated trapezoid-shaped grave pit
with rounded corners, L: 150; Wi: 70; De: 15.
The finds had already begun to appear 5 cm deep during the
excavation of the light grey fill of the rectangular structure:
a plate (No. 1; Cat. 2) and a crushed red jug (No. 2; Cat.
1) were discovered in the eastern half of the grave. The
scattered calcined remains were collected from all parts of
the grave�
Anthropological analysis: 220 g of tiny and medium sized
fragments of greyish-white, grey and coal-black calcined
bones of an unsexed, 15-30 year-old individual.
Primary grave good: 3-4. Secondary grave good: 1-2.
Dating: 75-200.
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
49
Jug (No. 2), glued from several partly joining
fragments: the lower section of the body and
the foot are missing. Elongated, ovoid body; tall
shoulder; cylindrical neck; round spout with a
profiled articulation� Slightly everted and rounded
rim� A tripartite strap handle starts from the shoulder
bent at a right angle and joins under the upper part
of the neck below the spout� LTCW, yellow clay,
slightly tempered with sand. H: 15.5; Wi: 15; Rd: 6;
Wth: 0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.117.2 (Fig. 27.4).
Plate (No. 1): glued from several fragments. Its
horizontal bottom is without a ring foot; wide and
flat body� Thick, almost horizontal rim, its upper
surface rounded. LTCW, orange-red clay, medium
tempered with sand. H: 2.8; Diam: 17; Rd: 16.5;
Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.117.1 (Figs. 27.5; 80�5).
Glass balsamarium, partly melted fragments
(?): may have belonged to a cylindrical bodied
balsamarium� Blue, transparent glass, with lots of
small air bubbles. L: 1-2; Id. no.: 48.38574.117.4.
Iron nail: intact. Round, flat head; long spike with
rectangular section. L: 4.3; Th: 0.3; Head Diam: 1;
Id. no.: 48.38574.117.3 (Fig. 27.3).
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Grave 8 (105 / 118; BI-13; Figs. 28.1-2)
Grave 9 (177 / 215; BJ-01; Figs. 29.1-2)
Secondary cremation (?). The calcined bones were mixed
with the pyre remains and scattered around the grave
without any observable container (simple cremation?).
E-W (93°) oriented, rectangular grave pit with rounded
corners, L: 90; Wi: 45; De: 9.
Scattered remains of bone, charcoal and daub were lying on
the surface of the black filled structure� The finds already
appeared after the removal of a 5 cm layer� A cylindrical bone
object (No. 1; Cat. 5) lay in the western part of the grave;
while another fragment from the same object (No. 2; Cat.
5) was found in its northern section. A bronze fibula (No. 3;
Cat. 4) was placed in the southern section of the grave. The
calcined remains were collected from all parts of the grave�
Anthropological analysis: 158 g of tiny and medium sized,
greyish-white, brownish-blue, grey and coal-black calcined
bones of an unsexed adult (20-x years).
Primary grave good: 1-2, 5. Secondary grave good: 4.
Residual: 3.
Dating: 140-180 / 200.
Secondary cremation� The calcined bones were mixed
with the pyre remains and scattered (?) around the grave
without any observable container (simple cremation?). We
managed to save the material from the absolute bottom of a
grave that had been completely destroyed by tilling�
Oval-shaped, NE-SW (38°) oriented grave pit, L: 50; Wi:
35; De: 6.
During scraping near Grave 20, south of it, the lower
halves of two pots appeared (Nos. 1a, b; Cats. 1-2). Human
calcined remains could be documented scattered about�
There was nothing left from either the pit or its fill�
Anthropological analysis: 12 g of extremely tiny and tiny
fragments of chalk-white and greyish-white calcined bones
of an unsexed, 3-5 year-old child.
Due to the disturbance, the grave assemblage is probably
only partially known. Secondary grave good: 1-2.
Dating: 1/ 50-425.
Finds
1�
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
Jug, body: LTCW. Reddish-brown clay, slightly
tempered with sand. Secondarily burnt. H: 4; Wi:
4.5; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.118.2.
Glass fragment: melted, from an unidentifiable
object; white, transparent glass, with a medium
amount of large air bubbles. L: 2; Wth: 0.1; Id. no.:
48.38574.118.4.
Glass balsamarium, fragment: fragment of the
cylindrical neck; round spout with horizontally
everted rim� White, transparent glass, with a large
amount of small air bubbles. L: 1.8 and 2.2; Wth: 0.1;
Id. no.: 48.38574.118.5 (Fig. 28.4).
Bronze fibula (No. 3): the catch-plate and pin
are broken. 2×8 spiralled with external cord.
Semicircular head, the bow widens towards the
spring. A profiled disc is near the centre of the bow;
its foot is decorated with a knob. Cast. L: 4; Wi: 3.7;
Id. no.: 48.38574.118.3 (Figs. 28.5; 84.2).
Bone pyxis (Nos. 1 and 2 glued together) fragmentary:
its bottom and lid are missing. Lathe-worked from
the bone of a large ruminant (Ruminatia), adjusted
by hand tools here and there� Cylindrical body
profiled at both ends� Its decoration from the rim
towards the base: 0.36 cm undecorated, 0.15 cm
wide ring running round (0.02 cm thick), 4.63 cm
undecorated, 0�1 cm wide ring, 0�5 cm undecorated,
0�1 cm wide indented line decoration, 0�34 cm
(thinner at the interior) undecorated band. Burnt,
deformed� The scorch marks indicate a relatively
short yet more intense fire. L: 6.18; Diam: 3.11.
Average Wth of carved object: 0.32, regarding the
anatomical structure of the bone: at its proximal end
(including decoration) 0.34, at its distal end (made
thinner) 0.22; Id. no.: 48.38574.118.6 (Figs. 28.3;
94�3-4b).
2�
Jar (No. 1a), fragment: flat base with a part of the
downward narrowing body, with slightly curving
wall� DTCW, dark grey clay, medium tempered
with rough sand. H: 10.5; Bd: 7.8; Wth: 0.3; Id. no.:
48.38574.215.1 (Fig. 29.3).
Jar (No. 1b), fragment: flat bottom with a part of
the body with widening, steep wall� DTCW, grey
clay, medium tempered with rough sand. H: 14; Bd:
9; Wth: 0.3-0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.215.2 (Fig. 29.4).
Grave 10 (121 /135; BI-17; Figs. 30.1-2)
Secondary cremation in a ceramic urn� The calcined bones
were placed into the urn without the pyre remains�
N-S (350°) oriented, square grave pit with rounded corners,
L: 90; Wi: 82; De: 25.
The feature appeared as a rectangular black filled
structure� Calcined remains, charcoal and an iron object
lay on its surface� The finds appeared very high, already
after 2-3 cm, which were placed in the centre of the
grave pit: an urn (No. 1; Cat. 2), a small jar (No. 4; Cat.
3), a small storage vase (No. 8; Cat. 5), and a lamp (No.
5; Cat. 1). The bronze coin (No. 6; Cat. 8) documented
above the small storage vase may imply some sort of
organic external covering (box, sack, cloth) or perhaps
a wooden lid�
Apart from the ceramic material, iron tools (Nos. 2-3; Cats.
10, 13) were also placed next to the deceased.
There were large pieces of calcined bones at the bottom
of the urn onto which two glass balsamaria were placed
(Cats. 6-7).
After the grave goods had been removed, the form of the
cleared feature was quadratic�
Anthropological analysis: 269 g of metallic blue, light
brown, sandy-yellow, grey and coal-black, mid-sized
fragments of calcined bones of an unsexed, 18-20 year-old
adult�
50
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
Primary or secondary grave good: 9-15. Secondary grave
good: 1-3, 5-8. Residual (?): 4.
Dating: 69 / 96-125.
9�
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
8.
Volute-lamp (No. 5): intact. Round oil container, with
an adjoining nozzle decorated by two volutes and a
triangular end� Closed discus with two confronted
figures (gladiators?) in a circle. Yellowish-red clay,
fired to soft, with flaking surface. H: 2.5; L: 10.5;
Wi: 7.5; Discus Diam: 6; Bd: 4.2; Wth: 0.2; Id. no.:
48.38574.135.3 (Figs. 30.3; 82�4).
Jar (No. 1): glued from several fragments. Flat base;
the straight-walled body widens towards the top,
with wheel-turned ribs on its surface. Flat shoulder;
relatively tall neck, with two incised horizontal
lines� Bevelled rim with a triangular section� A
black substance on the upper part of the shoulder,
on the neck, and the rim� DTCW, clay fired to a
patchy dark grey and brown, medium tempered with
rough sand. H: 22; Rd: 15; Bd: 9; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.:
48.38574.135.1 (Figs. 31.1; 76�4).
Jar (No. 4): glued from several fragments. Flat base;
downward narrowing body; steep shoulder with an
incised horizontal line. Short neck; its rim thick and
swollen� DTCW, dark grey, at parts fired to yellowy
spots, medium tempered with rough sand. H: 15;
Rd: 11; Bd: 6; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.135.2
(Figs� 31.2; 75�4).
Plate, fragment: flat bodied, jutting out at the start
of the rim� Detail of a rouletted, notched decoration
on its interior� The rim is high, slightly curving,
almost vertical� DTCW, grey clay, slightly tempered
with sand. Rec Rd: 20; Bd: 14; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.135.5 (Fig. 31.3).
Small storage vase (No. 8): intact. Flat base; wide,
slightly ovoid body� Steep shoulder, short neck
with two horizontal incised lines� Rounded and
everted rim� LTCW, grey clay, medium tempered
with rough sand. H: 9; Rd: 7; Bd: 4.5; Wth: 0.3-0.4;
Id. no.: 48.38574.135.4 (Figs. 31.4; 77�2).
Glass balsamarium (from jar Cat. 2 ): a part of the
spout and a small piece from its body are missing�
Elongated body narrowing towards the top� Long,
cylindrical neck wider than the upper section of the
body; funnel-like round spout. Transparent, greenish
glass, with lots of small and large air bubbles. Rd:
1.8; L: 9; Bd: 1.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.135.6 (Figs.
31.5; 92�2).
Glass balsamarium (from jar Cat. 2): its spout is
missing� Elongated body narrowing towards the
top; long, cylindrical neck. Transparent, blue glass,
with a few small air bubbles. L: 9; Wi: 2.2; Id. no.:
48.38574.135.7 (Figs. 31.6; 92�3).
Coin (No. 6): As, dating: 69-96, Obv: Flavian
emperor portrait facing right, Rev: female
personification, Diam: 2.4; We: 7.78; mint: Rome;
Id. no.: 48.38574.135.8 (Fig. 32.8).
10�
11�
12�
13�
14�
15�
Iron knife (No. 12): its point and the end of the
stay are broken off� The blade is fastened by a
tang� The cutting edge towards the hilt is straight,
and its section towards the point breaks and runs
downwards steeply� The spine also follows this
shape. L: 16-12.8 (blade); 3.2 (hilt); Blade max. Wi:
0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.135.9 (Figs. 32.7; 89.4).
Iron wax spatula (?) (No. 3), fragment: both its ends
have broken off� Round sectioned handle, flattened
on one end. L: 8.5; Th: 1.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.135.10
(Fig� 32.4).
Iron stylus (No. 7): intact. Cylindrical; flattened to
a chisel-shape at one end, and pointed at the other.
L: 12; Th: 0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.135.12 (Fig. 32.1).
Iron object (No. 9), fragment: iron plate rounded at
one end, with an iron stud in it. L: 4; Th: 0.3; Stud
L: 1.7; Stud Th: 0.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.135.15 (Fig.
32.6).
Iron stylus (No. 2): intact. As Cat. 11. L: 11.5; Th:
0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.135.13 (Fig. 32.2).
Iron wax spatula (?) (No. 10): deformed, broken into
two, with a missing section at its centre� Elongated
and square sectioned handle; its end is flattened and
wide. L: 14; Head Wi: 1.7; Handle Diam: 0.8; Id.
no.: 48.38574.135.14 (Fig. 32.3).
Iron wire (No. 11), fragment: round sectioned. L:
5.2; Th: 0.5-0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.135.11 (Fig.
32.5).
Grave 11 (145 /160; AI-25; Figs. 33.1-2)
Secondary cremation� The calcined bones without the
pyre remains were scattered around the grave without any
observable container�
N-S (338°) oriented, rectangular grave pit with rounded
corners, L: 79; Wi: 72; De: 16.
Pottery sherds and calcined bones lay scattered on the
surface of the rectangular, black filled structure� The finds
were dispersed among several layers within the grave�
Among them was the base fragment of a jar (No. 3; Cat.
3) turned upside down. Below it were a bronze fibula or
belt clasp (No. 4; Cat. 6) and the fragment of a lamp (No.
1; Cat. 1). Further fragments of this lamp were found at the
centre of the grave pit� Next to the jar lay an iron knife (No�
2; Cat. 7) at the bottom of the grave. It was clear during
the excavation that several different vases had been placed
into the grave; however, they were so fragmented that they
could not be separated on the site�
Anthropological analysis: 50 g of tiny, greyish-white and
greyish-blue calcined bones of an unsexed, 10-20 year-old
individual�
Primary grave good: 2-5. Primary grave good (?): 6-7.
Secondary grave good: 1.
Dating: 200-300 (maybe 230-270).
Finds
1�
51
Factory lamp (No. 1): about a quarter of the oil
container is missing� Round oil container with an
elongated, rounded nozzle� Its discus runs in an
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
open parallel-walled channel until the wide wick
opening� A name stamp is on its bottom within a
double ring: FORTIS. Grey clay. H: 2; L: 8.5; Wi:
5.9; Discus ring Diam: 3.8; Bd: 3.4; Wth: 0.2-0.3;
Id. no.: 48.38574.160.2 (Figs. 34.4; 81�1).
Jar: glued from several fragments, its base and most
of its belly are missing. Barrel-shaped body decorated
with wheel-marked ribs; high shoulder; relatively
high neck with wheel-marked ribs. Its thick rim is
everted, with its top arching and rounded� DTCW,
clay fired to grey and red patches, medium tempered
with rough sand. Secondarily burnt. H: 15; Rd: 11.8;
Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.160.4 (Fig. 34.1).
Jar (No. 3), base: DTCW. Clay fired to grey
and red patches, medium tempered with rough
sand. Secondarily burnt. Bd: 13; Wth: 1; Id. no.:
48.38574.160.6.
Bowl: glued from several fragments. Conical ring
foot; wide, deep body; tall, almost straight rim
swollen and rounded at its edge� LTCW, yellow
clay, medium tempered with fine sand� Secondarily
burnt. H: 8; Rd: 19.5; Fd: 8.5; Wth: 0.4-0.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.160.1 (Figs. 34.2; 80�2).
Plate: glued from several fragments with smaller
gaps. Flat base without a ring foot; steeply widening
body with an everted rim� LTCW, red clay, medium
tempered with sand. Secondarily burnt. Rd: 14.6;
Bd: 16; Wth: 0.6-0.8; Id. nos.: 48.38574.160.3 and
5 (Fig� 34.3).
Bronze fibula / belt clasp (No. 4): almost half of the
object is missing� Round body, with an attaching
T-shaped hook. Diam: 3.7, Th: 0.3; Id. no.:
48.38574.160.7 (Figs. 33.3; 84�5).
Iron knife (No. 2): intact. Solid metal hilt. Curved
cutting edge with straight spine. Total L: 20.5; blade
L: 11; hilt L: 9.5; Th: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.160.8
(Figs� 34.5; 89.1).
Grave 13 (152 /167; BI-21; Figs. 35.5-6)
Secondary cremation� The calcined bones without the pyre
remains were scattered in the grave without any observable
container�
E-W (58°) oriented grave pit, Diam: 60; De: 9.
The borders of the feature were undeterminable; it did not
have a definite outline separating it from its environment�
The feature was indicated by the calcined bones scattered
on the surface. Almost completely destroyed by tilling;
only the utmost bottom of the pit could be excavated�
Anthropological analysis: 1116 g of tiny, medium and
large, greyish-white and sandy-yellow calcined remains of
a young unsexed, 18-25 year-old adult.
Primary grave good: 1-2. The grave assemblage is
undoubtedly only partially known�
Dating: 1/ 70-400.
Finds
1�
2�
Grave 14 (173 /190; AI-25; Figs. 36.1-2)
Secondary cremation� The calcined bones without the pyre
remains were scattered in the grave without any observable
container�
N-S (340°) oriented grave pit of unknown shape, De: 7.
The borders of the feature could not be seen, only the tiny
calcined bones, daub pieces and a large amount of pottery
sherds scattered about its surface indicated its limits� The
wide scattering of the ceramic sherds was probably the
result of the intensive tilling, which had also ruined a part
of the burial� The fragments of a large jar were found in the
western section of the grave� The contour of the grave did
not appear even after lifting up the ceramics; thus, not even
its edges could be determined�
Anthropological analysis: 20 g of tiny, chalk-white and
greyish-white calcined bones of an unsexed, 15 year-old or
older (15-x years) individual.
Primary grave good: 1. The grave assemblage is
undoubtedly only partially known�
Dating: 100-200.
Grave 12 (147 / 162; AI-25; Figs. 35.1-2)
Secondary cremation� The calcined bones without the pyre
remains were scattered in the grave without any observable
container�
Round grave pit, Diam: 77; De: 20.
Tiny calcined remains could be documented on the surface
of its round, dark blackish filled structure� Two small
fragmentary iron nails were found in the remains of the
grave heavily destroyed by tilling�
Anthropological analysis: 66 g of tiny and medium sized,
greyish-white, grey, and coal-black calcined bones of an
unsexed, 15 year-old or older (15-x years) individual.
Primary grave good (?): 1.
Dating: 1/ 50-425.
Finds
1�
Finds
1�
Glass bead: melted. Light blue glass, at parts dark
blue. Diam: 0.5×0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.167.2. (Fig.
35.7).
Iron wire, fragment: circle sectioned. L: 3; Th: 0.3;
Id. no.: 48.38574.167.1.
Iron nails, fragments of a deformed head and spike
(2 pcs): flat, oval headed, with square sectioned
spike. L: 1.2; Th: 0.2; Head Diam: 0.4×0.6; Id. no.:
48.38574.162.1 (Figs. 35.3-4).
52
Jar: glued from several fragments. Flat base with
a slightly concave bottom� Ovoid body, intensively
narrowing downwards, with an arched shoulder�
Relatively high neck widening upwards, with
horizontal rim� DTCW� Dark brown clay, medium
tempered with fine and rough sand� Secondarily
burnt. H: 33; Rd: 22.5; Bd: 10-11; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.190.1 (Figs. 36.3; 75�1).
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
Grave 15 (180 / 197; AJ-05; Figs. 36.4-5)
The grave goods could not be identified due to disturbance�
Primary grave good (?): 5. Secondary grave good: 2.
Secondary grave good or residual: 4. Residual (?): 1, 3.
Dating: 50-250 / 275.
Secondary cremation� The calcined bones were heaped up
inside the grave pit without any observable container�
Round grave pit, Diam: 70; De: 10.
Calcined bone remains and daub pieces could be observed
on the black filled surface of the feature� The grave
appeared relatively high with regard to the level of today’s
ground level. The contours of a heavily cracked red plate’s
rim (No. 1; Cat. 2) could already be seen in the patch of the
feature� A few burnt bones were above the plate, while a
large amount of them were found in the layer below it� Next
to the plate lay a well-preserved iron knife (No. 2; Cat. 3).
The fragments of a secondarily burnt red jug (Cat. 1) were
also found within the grave�
Bones of a domestic hen (Gallus domesticus) were mixed
with the burnt human remains�
Anthropological analysis: 128 g of medium, greyish-white,
light brown and grey calcined bones of an unsexed adult
(20-x years).
Primary grave good: 1, 3, 4. Secondary grave good: 2.
Dating: 120-200.
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
Ceramic vase, body fragments: round sectioned
handle fragment on one sherd� Another is decorated
with an incised line pattern on the exterior� Red clay
with black spots, medium tempered with tiny pebbles�
Secondarily burnt. H: 6; Wi: 5.8; Handle Diam: 2.3;
Wth: 0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.197.2.
Plate (No. 1): glued from several fragments.
Horizontal base without foot; wide, flat body with
a rounded, slightly everted rim� LTCW, red clay,
tempered with rough sand. H: 3.3; Rd: 18; Bd: 14.5;
Wth: 0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.197.1 (Figs. 36.6; 80�4).
Iron knife (No. 2): intact. Solid metal hilt. Almost
straight cutting edge, slightly curving upwards at
the end; arched spine. The hilt widens towards the
end. Total L: 20.8; blade L: 11.5; hilt L: 9.3; Id. no.:
48.38574.197.3 (Figs. 36.7; 89.2).
Domestic hen (Gallus domesticus): burnt wing and
foot bone fragments�
Jar, body fragments: DTCW. Grey clay, medium
tempered with fine and rough sand. Wi: 4.3×3; Wth:
0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.102.4.
Jar, base and body fragments: flat base with straight,
steeply widening body� DTCW, grey clay, medium
tempered with rough sand. Bd: 18; Wth: 0.9; Id. no.:
48.38574.102.5 (Fig. 37.4).
Bowl, body and rim fragments: slightly everted
rim and undecorated body. LTCW, orange-red clay,
medium tempered with sand, badly fired. Rd: 17;
Wi: 3.5-5; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.102.1.
Lid, rim fragments and part of the lid-disk: the liddisk running steeply upwards; ellipse sectioned
rim� DTCW, grey clay, medium tempered with
rough sand. Rd: 20; Wi: 6-7.8; Wth: 0.9; Id. nos.:
48.38574.102.2-3 (Fig. 37.3).
Iron nail: its point is broken off. Flat, round head
with a long square sectioned spike. L: 3.4; Th: 0.5;
Head Diam: 1.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.102.6 (Fig. 37.5).
Grave 17 (176 /193; AJ-05; Figs. 38.1-2)
Secondary cremation in a tile grave� A part of the calcined
bone remains of the deceased were placed inside an
upturned imbrex�
W-E (270°) oriented, square grave pit, L: 65; Wi: 58; De: 30.
The surface of the feature was covered by a considerable
amount of small tegula and green schist fragments� Lots
of daub pieces, slabs of schist standing on their edges,
many tegula and imbrex fragments could be documented
in the upper layer� A few burnt human bones were in the
middle of the feature� Several large tegulae standing
on their edges bordered the grave pit in a square shape�
During the burial ceremony, large calcined remains had
been placed into the imbrex (No. 1; Cat. 8) found in the
northern part of the grave (perhaps also within some sort
of organic container). A lamp (No. 2; Cat. 1) lying on its
side appeared in the southern half of the grave� Further
excavation brought to light four iron nails (Nos. 3-6; Cats.
4-7). The fill at the bottom of the grave pit was full of
charcoal, most probably from the pyre remains mixed
with tiny calcined bones�
Anthropological analysis: 330 g of tiny and medium, chalkwhite and greyish-white calcined remains of an unsexed,
30-40 year-old adult.
Primary grave good (?): 4-7. Secondary grave good: 1.
Residual: 2-3.
Dating: 125 /150-250.
Grave 16 (93 /102; BI-11; Figs. 37.1-2)
Secondary cremation� The calcined bones without the pyre
remains were placed into a simple pit grave covered with
tegulae, or in a tile grave�
N-S (4°) oriented, square-shaped grave pit, L: 62; Wi: 64;
De: 34.
At the centre of the well-discernable, square-shaped, light
grey filled feature were the remains of a brick structure
thoroughly disturbed by tilling� Following the removal
of the brick fragments, a square-shaped depression at the
centre of the grave pit could be observed, which yielded a
few pottery sherds, an iron nail and calcined human remains�
Anthropological analysis: 8 g of tiny, greyish-white and
sandy-yellow calcined remains of an individual of at least
infant age or older (Infans-x years).
Finds
1�
53
Factory lamp (No. 2): glued from several fragments.
Round oil container with an elongated, rounded
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
8.
Anthropological analysis: 26 g of tiny and medium, chalkwhite and greyish-blue calcined remains of an unsexed, 2030 year-old adult.
Secondary grave good: 2. Residual (?): 1. Due to
agricultural disturbance, it is probable that the assemblage
is only partially known�
Dating: 50-125.
nozzle� Its discus joins to an open parallel-walled
channel until the wide wick opening. On the bottom:
name stamp in a double circle: LNARI. Grey clay. H:
3; L: 9; Wi: 6; Discus ring Diam: 3.6; Bd: 3.7; Wth:
0.2-0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.193.1 (Figs. 38�7; 81�3).
Jar, body fragments: LTCW. Medium tempered with
rough sand, red, orange-red at section, decorated
with a horizontal brushed pattern. Wth: 0.5-0.8; Id.
nos.: 48.38574.193.2-5.
Jar, body fragments: DTCW. Grey clay, brown
interior, medium tempered with rough sand. H: 2;
Wi: 3.5; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.193.6.
Iron nail (No. 6), fragment: fragmentary flat head;
square sectioned spike; point broken off. L: 6.2; Th:
0.4-0.7; Head Diam: 1×2.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.193.7
(Fig� 38�5).
Iron nail (No. 5): point broken off. Round, flat head;
long spike with square section. L: 11.5; Th: 0.6-0.7;
Head Diam: 1.8×2.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.193.8 (Fig.
38�6).
Iron nail (No. 3): head broken off, spike deformed.
As Cat. 1. L: 4; Th: 0.4-0.5; Head Diam: 1.2; Id. no.:
48.38574.193.9 (Fig. 38�3).
Iron nail (No. 4): intact. Round, flat head; short
spike with square section. L: 4; Th: 0.1-0.5; Head
Diam: 1.8×1.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.193.10 (Fig. 38�4).
Imbrex (No. 1), fragmentary: red, orange-red clay,
tempered with rough sand. H: 8; L: 29.5; Wi: 14.8;
Th: 1.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.193.11.
Finds
1�
2�
Jar, body fragments: DTCW. Grey clay, medium
tempered with sand. H: 6; Wi: 6; Wth: 0.7; Id. nos.:
48.38574.199.1 and 3.
Small storage vase, fragments: rounded, everted
rim; probably with straight base. DTCW, brown
clay, medium tempered with rough sand. Rec Rd:
9; Wth: 0.8; Rec Bd: 5.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.199.2
(Fig� 39.3).
Grave 20 (177 /194; joint corner of AI-25, AJ-05, BJ-01,
BJ-21 fields; Figs. 41.1-2)
Secondary cremation�
Bib: Ilon 2010, No. 21, 30-31.
The calcined bones were placed into the tile grave together
with the pyre remains�
N-S (334°) oriented, square grave pit, L: 64; Wi: 62; De: 32.
The contours of the feature were bordered by a red strip of
tegulae� A layer of broken tegulae indicated the former closure
of the grave� Its fill was mixed with a large amount of charcoal,
and almost no soil. The fragments of a yellow jug (Cat. 1) and
a small bronze fibula in closed position (No. 1; Cat. 2) lay
near the northern tegula of the grave� The human remains were
represented by large pieces, with hardly any smaller splinters�
Anthropological analysis: 984 g of chalk-white, greyishwhite, grey and coal-black calcined remains of an unsexed,
30-40 year-old adult.
Secondary grave good: 2. Residual: 1.
Dating: 125-225 / 250.
Grave 18 (179 /196; AI-25; Figs. 39.1-2)
Secondary cremation� The calcined bones were placed into
the tile grave without the pyre remains�
E-W (256°) oriented, square grave pit, L: 61; Wi: 55; De: 15.
The edges of the grave pit’s contours were bordered by
vertically placed tegulae in a square shape� The grave
already appeared about 15 cm below the modern trodden
surface, thus, its top part was destroyed by tilling� Only a
few calcined remains could be picked up from its surface�
Anthropological analysis: 20 g of medium, chalk-white
calcined remains of an unsexed, 15 year-old or older (15-x
years) individual.
Dating: 1/ 50-425.
Finds
1�
Grave 19 (182 /199; AJ-05; Figs. 40.1-2)
2�
Secondary cremation� The calcined bones were placed into
the grave without the pyre remains�
N-S (356°) oriented, square grave pit, L: 77; Wi: 69; De: 20.
The patch of the grave could not be seen; its surface was
indicated by scattered calcined bones, as well as tegula and
pottery fragments� Almost completely destroyed by tilling�
During excavation, it turned out that the tegula fragments
stood scattered in no special order� The pottery sherds
belonged to a grey jar (Cat. 1) and a small storage vase (Cat.
2).
Jug, body fragment: LTCW. Yellow clay, medium
tempered with sand. H: 3; Wi: 2.5; Wth: 0.7; Id. no.:
48.38574.194.1.
Bronze knee fibula (No. 1): the plate covering the
spring is fragmentary, but otherwise intact. 2×4
spiralled with external cord. Semicircular head; its
bow becomes thin in an arch with a disc-shaped foot
decorated with a knob. Cast bronze. L: 3; Wi: 2.5; Id.
no.: 48.38574.194.2 (Figs. 41.3; 84.4).
Grave 21 (183 / 200; AJ-05; Figs. 39.3-4)
Secondary cremation� The calcined bones were placed into
the tile grave without (?) the pyre remains.
N-S (358°) oriented, square grave pit, L: 77; Wi: 55; De: 16.
The patch of the grave was bordered by a rectangular,
red strip of tegulae� Calcined remains, charcoal and brick
fragments were scattered on the surface delimited by the
54
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
tegulae� It was a rather disturbed tile grave, and only its
bottom could be excavated� It contained a small amount of
calcined remains and a sherd of a grey, small storage vase�
Anthropological analysis: 6 g of tiny and medium, greyishwhite and bluish-white calcined remains of an unsexed, 15
year-old or older (15-x years) individual.
Residual (?): 1. The grave assemblage is only partially
known due to its disturbance�
Dating: 1/ 50-425.
separated from the neck by a 1�5 cm wide rib� Everted
rim with a horizontal upper surface is articulated by
grooves; while its lower half is arched. Asymmetrical,
careless pottery work� DTCW, clay fired to black,
medium tempered with rough sand� The vase was
used as an urn� A part of the calcined bones was placed
inside it. H: 43; Rd: 28.5; Bd: 18; Wth: 0.4-0.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.187.1 (Figs. 42�3; 74.2).
3� Jug / mug with handle (from jar Cat. 2): intact.
Low ring foot, with concave base� Globular body
narrowing towards the foot, decorated with a slant
ribbed pattern. Curved neck; round spout with
an articulated rounded rim. Elliptic-shaped strap
handle runs up from the centre of the body to the
start of the neck. DTCW. Greyish-brown clay,
medium tempered with sand. H: 12; Rd: 6; Handle
Wi: 1.5; Bd: 4; Wth: 0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.187.2
(Figs� 42�5; 78�3).
4� Small storage vase, body fragments: LTCW. Red
clay, medium tempered with sand� Secondarily
burnt. H: 3; Wi: 2; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.187.5.
5� Small storage vase, body fragments: DTCW.
Greyish-brown clay, medium tempered with sand. H:
4.8; Wi: 3.5; Wth: 0.2-0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.187.6.
6� Beaker, partly joining sherds: tall, elongated
body narrowing upwards, decorated with notches�
The tall rim, almost straight with horizontal top,
separates from the body by a profile� DTCW, grey
and at parts brown clay, medium tempered with
sand. Secondarily burnt. Rd: 7.2; Wth: 0.2; Id. no.:
48.38574.187.3 (Figs. 42�4; 78�5).
7� Beaker, body fragment: with detail of rouletted
decoration (Rädchenverzierung). LTCW, reddishbrown clay, medium tempered with sand. H: 3.8;
Wi: 2.4; Wth: 0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.187.4.
8. Iron nail (from jar Cat. 2), fragment: globular
headed, with square sectioned spike. L: 1.4; Th: 0.3;
Head Diam: 0.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.187.8.
9� Iron nail: fragmentary head; the point is broken off.
Globular (?) head with square sectioned spike. L:
4; Th: 0.2-0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.187.9 (Fig. 42.7).
10� Iron object (from jar Cat. 2), fragment: round
sectioned, flattened at one end. L: 2.5; Th: 0.3-0.7;
Id. no.: 48.38574.187.10 (Fig. 42.6).
11� Domestic hen (Gallus domesticus; from jar Cat. 2):
bones of the wing, rump and upper thigh from a
single specimen�
12� Small ungulate (Ungulata; from jar Cat. 2): burnt
skull bone fragments�
Finds
1�
Small storage vase, sherd: flat base with steep wall.
DTCW� Grey clay, medium tempered with rough
sand. H: 2.2; Bd: 6; Wth: 0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.200.1
(Fig� 39.5).
Grave 22 (171 /187; AI-25; Figs. 42.1-2)
Secondary cremation� The calcined bones were placed into
the urn together with the pyre remains� The charcoal and
calcined human bones documented in the grave pit may have
gotten there from the urn due to agricultural cultivation, but
they can also refer to an element of the burial ritual�
Round grave pit, Diam: 97; De: 42.
The limits of the feature could not be identified; the
rim of a large black jar (No. 1; Cat. 2) was visible on
its surface� Its rim had already broken off in Antiquity
and its fragments were inside the grave, thus they were
not damaged any further by tilling� It tilted slightly on
its side, with its mouth upwards in the grave� Calcined
human bones were found surrounding the urn as well; its
fill was full of charcoal�
The urn (Cat. 2) also contained, apart from the calcined
human remains, a lamp (Cat. 1), a jug / mug with handle
(Cat. 3), an iron nail (Cat. 8), and the burnt bones of a
domestic hen (Gallus domesticus, Cat. 11) and a small
ungulate (Ungulata, Cat. 12). Inside the urn, the largest
bones were on the bottom and then followed the gradually
smaller pieces towards the top�
Anthropological analysis: 200 g of tiny, medium and large,
greyish-white, sandy-yellow, grey and coal-black calcined
bones of an unsexed, 20-40 year-old individual.
Primary grave good: 4, 6, 8-12. Secondary grave good: 1-3.
Residual (?): 5, 7.
Dating: 200-250 / 275.
Finds
1�
2�
Factory lamp (No. 2; from jar Cat. 2): intact. Round
oil container, with a short, rounded nozzle� The
discus joins to an open parallel-walled channel until
the wide wick opening� An indistinct name stamp
is on its bottom: QGC. Raw brick coloured clay. H:
2.2; L: 7.7; Wi: 5.2; Discus ring Diam: 3.2; Bd: 2.3;
Wth: 0.2-0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.187.7 (Figs. 42�8;
82�2).
Jar (No. 1): glued from several fragments. Flat
base with slightly concave bottom� Elongated body,
intensely narrowing downwards� The high shoulder is
Grave 23 (187 / 204; AJ-05; Figs. 43.1-2)
Secondary cremation in and around a ceramic urn� The
calcined bones were placed into the urn and the grave pit
with the pyre remains�
Square grave pit with thoroughly rounded corners, Diam:
88; De: 27.
Ceramic sherds, daub and charcoal were visible on the
surface of the black filled structure� The contours of a grey
jar (No. 1; Cat. 1), and the pieces of a tegula (No. 2) could
55
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
already be seen within the feature before the excavation�
SE of the jar, which had been used as an urn, lay a small
storage vase (No. 3; Cat. 2).
Anthropological analysis: 796 g of tiny and medium,
chalk-white, greyish-white, bluish-white and greyish-blue
calcined bones of a 20-30 year-old woman (?).
Secondary grave good: 1-2. Residual: 3-5.
Dating: 1/ 50-425.
2�
Finds
3�
Jar (No. 1), fragment: the top of the body and
the rim are missing. Flat base; steep body with
slightly curved wall� DTCW, dark grey clay, at
parts with spots burnt to brown, medium tempered
with rough sand. H: 26; Bd: 15; Wth: 0.6; Id. no.:
48.38574.204.1 (Fig. 43.3).
2� Small storage vase (No. 3), fragment: the top of
the body and the rim are missing. Flat base; steep
body with slightly curved wall� DTCW, black clay,
medium tempered with rough sand. H: 10; Bd: 6.7;
Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.204.2 (Fig. 43.4).
3-5. Residual animal bones: see below in a separate
chapter the details�
1�
4�
5�
Grave 24 (197 / 214; AJ-05; Figs. 44.1-2)
Secondary cremation in a ceramic urn� The calcined bones
were placed into the urns without the pyre remains�
N-S (350°) oriented grave pit, L: 86; Wi: 80; De: 14.
The contours of a large jar could be observed, and a few
calcined bones were scattered about on the surface of the
well-defined feature. Tilling had destroyed the upper half of
the jar (No. 1; Cat. 2), as well as damaging the other objects
of the assemblage� The plough had pulled the pottery sherds
and the calcined remains in a northerly direction� SE of the
jar lay a red lamp (No. 2; Cat. 1) turned upside down; while
two ceramic vases, namely a small storage vase (No. 5; Cat.
5) and a jug / mug with handle (No. 3; Cat. 4), as well as a
small red bowl (Cat. 3) were placed directly next to it on its
eastern side. A bronze nail (No. 4; Cat. 7) was found among
the small vases� After the removal of the jar, a small bronze
ring (Cat. 6) became visible at the bottom of the grave.
Two vases inside the grave had contained calcined remains:
Urn ‘A’: jar (Cat. 2).
Urn ‘B’: small storage vase (Cat. 5).
From Urn ‘A’, the burnt bone fragments of a bird, possibly
a domestic hen (Gallus domesticus), were found among the
human calcined remains�
Anthropological analysis: 596 g of tiny and medium,
greyish-white, grey and coal-black calcined remains of an
unsexed, at least 20 year-old individual.
Primary grave good: 8. Primary or secondary grave good:
6-7. Secondary grave good: 1-5.
Dating: 70-150.
6�
7�
8.
Grave 25 (148 /163; AI-25; Figs. 45.1-2)
Secondary cremation� A part of the remains of the deceased
without the pyre remains was placed into the urn and
deposited in the grave pit�
N-S (316°) oriented, oval grave pit, L: 78; Wi: 60; De: 9.
The limits of the feature were not visible; the pottery sherds
scattered on its surface indicated the structure� A large jar
(No. 1; Cat. 1) was placed in the centre of the grave. It
collapsed from the pressure of the soil, while its upper part
was destroyed by tilling. The fragments of a red plate (No. 2;
Cat. 4) and a folded beaker (Cat. 5) lay next to it.
Most of the grave had been destroyed by tilling�
Anthropological analysis: 429 g of tiny and medium,
greyish-white, grey and coal-black calcined remains of an
unsexed, 15-30 year-old individual.
Secondary grave good: 1, 4-5. Residual (?): 2-3. The grave
assemblage is probably only partially known due to its
disturbance�
Dating: 150-350, most probably 200-300.
Finds
1�
parallel-walled channel until the wide wick opening.
Reddish brick coloured clay. H: 3; L: 10; Wi: 6.6;
Discus ring Diam: 3.6; Bd: 3; Wth: 0.2-0.3; Id. no.:
48.38574.214.1 (Figs. 44.8; 82�3).
Jar (No. 1), fragment: slightly concave base, and
widening curved body� DTCW, clay burnt to black,
medium tempered with rough sand, badly preserved�
H: 10; Bd: 20; Wth: 1; Id. no.: 48.38574.214.5 (Fig.
44.9).
Small bowl with everted rim, unjoining base and
rim sherds: very low foot-ring; wide, flat body
with curved wall; extremely everted rim. DTCW,
brown, at parts fired to grey patches, slightly
tempered with sand. Bd: 8; Rd: 16; Wth: 0.4; Id.
no.: 48.38574.214.2 (Fig. 44.5).
Small jug / mug with handle, base, body and handle
fragments (No. 3), with large part missing: low,
rounded foot; globular body narrowing downwards.
Its spout is round; its rounded rim curves upwards.
A strap handle with elliptic section runs up from the
middle of the belly and folds back under the rim�
LTCW, red clay, slightly tempered with sand. H:
5.5; Handle Wi: 1.6; Bd: 4; Wth: 0.3-0.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.214.3 (Fig. 44.3).
Small storage vase, base fragment with a part
of the body (No. 5): low base; part of the ovoid,
downward narrowing body� LTCW, red clay,
slightly tempered with sand. H: 4.5; Bd: 3.8; Wth:
0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.214.4 (Fig. 44.4).
Bronze ring (No. 6): intact. Slightly elongated, oval
band, with round section. Diam: 4.5×5.5; Th: 0.40.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.214.6 (Fig. 44.7).
Bronze nail (No. 4): intact. Semiglobular head,
short spike with a square section. L: 2.6; Th: 0.3;
Head Diam: 0.6; We: 12; Id. no.: 48.38574.214.7
(Fig� 44.6).
Domestic hen (Gallus domesticus): burnt bone
fragments belonging to a limb (2 pcs).
Factory lamp (No. 2): intact. Round oil container
with a short, rounded nozzle� The open discus joins a
56
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
Jar (No. 1), fragment: low foot, with slightly
concave base� The body, narrowing extremely
downwards, has a curved wall; it is decorated
with parallel incised lines� DTCW, dark grey clay,
medium tempered with rough sand. H: 12; Bd: 9;
Wth: 0.3-0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.163.1 (Fig. 45�3).
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Clay fired to black,
with light core, medium tempered with midrough pebbles. H: 3; Wi: 5; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.:
48.38574.163.4.
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Light grey clay,
medium tempered with sand. H: 2.5; Wi: 2; Wth:
0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.163.6.
Plate (No. 2), fragment: slightly concave base
without foot� Wide, flat body with concave wall
at the base and convex on the top; rim strongly
everted and rounded� DTCW, exterior fired to
grey, interior to black with red spots, medium
tempered with rough sand. Rd: 18; Bd: 15; Wth:
0.5; Id. nos.: 48.38574.163.2-3 (Fig. 45�4).
Folded beaker, partially joining sherds: low, narrow
foot with slightly concave bottom� The elongated
body narrows heavily above the foot, and is
decorated with vertical foldings� The everted rim is
rounded; it is articulated from the body by a ring
in relief� DTCW, grey clay, with red core, medium
tempered with rough sand. Rd: 10; Bd: 5; Wth: 0.20.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.163.5 (Fig. 45�5).
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
Grave 26 (153 /168; BI-21; Figs. 46.1-2)
8.
Secondary cremation� A part of the human remains,
without the remains of the pyre, were placed into the urn
and deposited in the grave� A part of the pyre remains were
probably used for the fill of the grave pit�
E-W (60°) oriented, oval grave pit, Diam: 73; De: 25.
Pottery, charcoal and daub could be seen on the surface of
the dark brown filled feature� During the excavation of the
grave pit, a large jar (No. 1; Cat. 5) was found at its centre
with a thin-walled cup (No. 2; Cat. 1) directly next to it.
There were no human bones in the fill of the grave pit�
A glass balsamarium (Cat. 8), a bronze coin (Cat. 9) and
calcined remains were inside the urn�
Anthropological analysis: 4 g of very tiny, greyish-white
and sandy-yellow calcined remains of an individual,
probably a child (infans?).
Secondary grave good: 1, 5, 7-9. Residual (?): 6. Residual:
2-4.
Dating: 80-150.
9�
Grave 27 (169 /185; AJ-05; Figs. 47.1-2)
Finds
1�
The points where the handles were attached are
above the horizontal rib running around the body,
as well as on both sides at the shoulder� Very worn,
slightly shiny, black slip on its surface. Grey, welllevigated clay. H: 8; Rd: 6; Bd: 3; Wth: 0.2; Id. no.:
48.38574.168.1 (Figs. 46.5; 73.2).
Jug, body fragment: with part of an incised line.
LTCW, brown clay, medium tempered with sand. H:
7.5; Wi: 5.2; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.168.4.
Jug, body fragment: LTCW. Orange-red clay,
slightly tempered with sand. H: 5; Wi: 3.7; Wth: 0.4;
Id. no.: 48.38574.168.5.
Jug, body fragment: DTCW. Grey clay, slightly
tempered with sand. H: 3.5; Wi: 3; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.168.6.
Jar (No. 1): glued from several fragments. Low foot
with slightly concave base; downward narrowing
body with curving wall� High arched shoulder with
short neck� Rounded everted rim swollen at its top
and bottom� DTCW, clay fired to black, medium
tempered with tiny and mid-rough pebbles. H: 27.5;
Rd: 19; Bd: 10.5; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.168.7
(Figs� 46.4; 74�4).
Jar, fragment of shoulder and body: part of
horizontal, incised line on the shoulder� DTCW,
clay fired to black, medium tempered with midrough pebbles. H: 4.5; Wi: 11; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.:
48.38574.168.3.
Lid, fragment: tall, arched sides; lid-disk decorated
with a brushed pattern; its rim is slightly inverted
and rounded� DTCW, dark grey clay, medium
tempered with rough sand. H: 9; Rd: 25; Wi: 18;
Wth: 0.6-0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.168.2 (Fig. 46.3).
Glass balsamarium: part of the spout is missing�
Elongated bag-shaped body narrowing towards the
top with almost straight wall� The long cylindrical
neck has a diameter slightly larger at the upper
section of the body� The neck narrows towards
the round funnel-shaped spout. White coloured
deposition on its interior� Transparent, greenish
glass, with a few small air bubbles. H: 8.2; Rd: 1.6;
Bd: 2; Id. no.: 48.38574.168.8 (Figs. 46.7; 92�4).
Coin: intact. Obv: M AGRIPPA L F COS III,
Agrippa’s portrait facing left, wearing naval crown
(corona navalis). Rev: S C, Neptune standing facing,
head left, naked except for chlamys draped behind
and over both arms, holding small dolphin in his
stretched out right hand and vertical trident in left� As,
dating: 14-37 or 37-41 (restitution issue struck under
Tiberius or Claudius), mint: Rome. Diam: 2.8; We:
12; Id. no.: 48.38574.168.9 (Figs. 46.6; 86�2).
Thin-walled cup (No. 2): glued from several
fragments, its handles are missing� Low foot,
biconical body with a rib at its centre� The body
is decorated with a linear ornament composed of
vertical and horizontal incisions above and below
the rib� High shoulder with everted, rounded rim�
Secondary cremation in a ceramic vase� A part of the human
remains were placed into the urn without the pyre remains�
Round grave pit, Diam: 70; De: 20.
The structure was indicated by daub and ceramic sherds
observable on the surface, but no distinct limits could
be defined� The grave appeared 10 cm below the current
57
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Grave 28 (172 /188; AI-25; Figs. 48.1-2)
cultivated surface, thus the tilling had damaged it
extensively. A small jar (No. 1; Cat. 1) and unjoining
fragments from several different vessels were found at
the centre of the grave pit� The jar had collapsed due to
the pressure of the soil after being deposited in the grave;
its rim sherd was found inside it, and there were a lot of
calcined bones within�
Anthropological analysis: 825 g of tiny and medium,
greyish-white, sandy-yellow, grey and coal-black calcined
bones of an unsexed, 20-30 year-old individual. Regarding
the position of the bones within the urn, it was observed
that their colours become darker and their sizes grow from
top to bottom� The more badly burnt, larger pieces were
placed at the bottom�
Primary grave good: 5-8. Secondary grave good: 1, 4.
Residual: 2-3.
Dating: 150-200.
Secondary cremation in a ceramic vase� Double burial�
Bib: Ilon 2010, No. 21, 30-31.
Based on the assemblage, a man and a woman had been buried
in the grave� Judging by the military buckle, the remains of the
man were placed into Urn ‘B’. A part of the calcined human
bones were placed inside the urns without the pyre remains�
NE-SW (18°) oriented, rectangular grave pit, L: 170; Wi:
102; De: 38.
The feature had rather indefinite contours with ceramic
sherds on its surface� After drawing and photography, it
was excavated together with the feature lying directly next
to it (SU 189). It turned out during excavation that the two
patches belonged to one grave. Two large urns (Urns ‘A’
and ‘B’) had been placed into the grave pit side by side
(Nos. 1 and 4; Cats. 4 and 3). Both of them collapsed due
to the pressure of the soil; thus, agricultural cultivation
did not damage them. A very badly preserved lid (No. 3;
Cat. 10), broken into several pieces, and a smaller iron nail
(No. 2; Cat. 37) appeared already in the top 10 cm layer.
This lid was used as a cover for Urn No. 1 (Urn ‘A’ in the
following). A sideways slanting, crushed grey jug (No. 5;
Cat. 2) was found between the two vases. The calcined
remains were placed into the grave in larger pieces�
An iron knife (No. 6; Cat. 41) in good condition lay in the
south-western corner of the grave. A multi-faceted gold
bead or pinhead (No. 7; Cat. 30) was found NW of the
ceramic jug’s (Cat. 2) rim. Between the two jars, SE from
the jug, lay a bronze belt-tip (No. 9; Cat. 31) 30 cm deep.
Directly next to it, eastwards, lay a bronze pelta-shaped
mount (No. 10). During the excavation of the area around
the jug – below the jug, eastwards – were two bronze
’buttons’, one below the other (Nos. 11-12; Cats. 28 and
27). In the area between Urn ‘A’ (Cat. 4) and the jug (Cat.
2), lay three blue glass beads melted together and a bronze
pin (Nos. 13-14; Cats. 16, 30) and below the jug was an
iron hook (No. 15; Cat. 35).
Urn ‘A’ (Cat. 4) contained a ring fibula (Cat. 26), an iron
nail, the fragments of a red lid (Cat. 10), and a large amount
of calcined remains�
Urn ‘B’ (Cat. 3) contained a lamp (Cat. 1), a bronze
buckle (Cat. 25), a ribbed glass bottle (Cat. 13), a glass
balsamarium (Cat. 14), three glass beads (Cat. 19), a
fragment of bronze wire (Cat. 32), an iron nail (Cat. 36),
and a large amount of calcined bones�
Anthropological analysis: there was a total of 4465 g of
calcined bones in the two urns together�
Urn ‘A’ (Cat. 4) contained the remains of an unsexed, 30-50
year-old adult.
Urn ‘B’ (Cat. 3) contained the remains of an unsexed, 2030 year-old adult.
Primary grave good: 9, 16, 21-37, 39-43. Primary or
secondary grave good: 14, 20, 24, 29, 38. Secondary grave
good: 1-4, 6, 10-13, 19, 21-23, 25-28. Residual (?): 5, 17,
30. Residual: 7, 8, 15, 18.
Cats. 22-23, 25, 27-28 had probably belonged to a single
belt� The bronze ring No� 21 was perhaps also part of the
same belt�
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
8.
Jar (No. 1), fragment: most of the shoulder and the
whole rim are missing� The calcined human bones
were placed into this vase. DTCW, dark greyishbrown clay, medium tempered with sand. H: 24.5;
Bd: 9.5; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.185.1 (Figs.
47.5; 74�5).
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Clay fired to dark grey
on its exterior, and brown on its interior, medium
tempered with rough sand. H: 7; Wi: 7; Wth: 0.5; Id.
no.: 48.38574.185.4.
Jar, fragment of the neck: greyish-brown, medium
tempered with rough sand. H: 4.7; Wi: 4.6; Wth:
0.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.185.5 (Fig. 47.6).
Plate, fragments from the rim, body and base with part
of the ring foot. Low, conical foot; flat, wide, curving
body; almost vertical, rounded rim with curved sides.
PW, grey clay, slightly tempered with sand� Traces of
red paint. H: 4; Rd: 16; Fd: 6; Wth: 0.4-0.9; Id. no.:
48.38574.185.2 (Fig. 47.3).
Plate, partly joining fragments: footless flat
base; flat, wide body with curving sides. Inverted
rounded rim� LTCW� Red clay, at parts with grey
patches, medium tempered with sand� Secondarily
burnt. H: 3.7; Rd: 17; Bd: 14; Wth: 0.7; Id. no.:
48.38574.185.3 (Fig. 47.4).
Iron nail, fragment: domed head with square
sectioned spike� The lower part of the spike is
broken off. L: 1.8; Th: 0.3; Head Diam: 0.6; Id. no.:
48.38574.185.7 (Fig. 47.7).
Iron nail: intact, with bent spike. As Cat. 6. L: 1.3;
Th: 0.3; Head Diam: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.185.6
(Fig� 47.8).
Iron nail, fragment: domed head; the lower part of
the square sectioned spike is missing. L: 1.1; Th:
0.3; Head Diam: 0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.185.6 (Fig.
47.9).
58
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
Dating: the urns were probably deposited in the grave
between 200-300.
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
Factory lamp (from Urn ‘B’; Cat. 3): intact. Round
oil container with a short, rounded nozzle� The
discus joins to an open parallel-walled channel until
the wide wick opening� Name stamp on the bottom
within a double ring: CRESCE / S. Brownish-red
clay. H: 2.5; L: 9; Wi: 6; Discus Diam: 3.6; Bd: 3.9;
Wth: 0.2-0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.4 (Figs. 49.8;
81�2).
Jug (No. 5): intact. Relatively high, straight walled
foot; globular body elongated on its top and bottom;
high and curving shoulder and round spout� Round
sectioned handle, extending up towards the spout,
runs from the upper part of the belly and attaches
to the mouth� The rounded rim is bordered by a
rib from below, forming a groove for the lid on its
interior side. DTCW, dark grey-black clay, medium
tempered with rough sand� There were calcined bone
remains in this vase as well. H: 26; Rd: 15; Handle
Wi: 2.5; Bd: 8; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.3
(Figs� 49.4; 79�6).
Jar (No. 4; Urn ‘B’): glued from several sherds, with
minor missing fragments� Flat base, the globular
body is rather elongated towards the bottom; with
brushed pattern decoration� It reaches its largest
diameter below the shoulder� Wide, curving
shoulder; short neck; everted, triangular sectioned
rim� Incised concentric circles on the top of the rim�
Functioning as an urn, it contained the calcined
bones of a 20-30 year-old individual. DTCW, dark
grey-black clay, at parts fired to brown, medium
tempered with rough sand. H: 38.5; Rd: 27.5; Bd:
17.5; Wth: 0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.1 (Figs. 48.5;
74�3).
Jar (No. 1; Urn ‘A’): glued from several fragments.
Flat base, ovoid body narrowing towards the
bottom, which reaches its largest diameter below
the shoulder. High, wide shoulder; narrowing neck
and everted, rounded mouth edge� On the shoulder,
nail impressed pattern in two parallel lines, with
leftward running incised wavy lines in between and
below the lower line. Incised net-pattern running
from the shoulder to almost the bottom of the vase�
Functioning as an urn, it contained the calcined
bones of a 30-50 year-old individual. LTCW,
greyish-brown clay, medium tempered with rough
sand. H: 42; Rd: 23; Bd: 16.5; Wth: 0.6-0.8; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.2 (Figs. 48.4; 74�1).
Jar, body and base fragment: downwards narrowing
body, curved wall; with part of a horizontal incised
line� DTCW, grey clay, slightly tempered with
micaceous rough sand. Rec Bd: 9; Wth: 1; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.6 (Fig. 49.3).
Plate, unjoining body and rim fragments: flat, wide
body with almost straight wall and strongly inverted,
rounded rim� DTCW, clay fired to light grey on its
8.
9�
10�
11�
12�
13�
14�
15�
16�
59
exterior, and black on its interior, medium tempered
with rough sand. H: 5.4; Rec Rd: 26; Rec Bd: 18;
Wth: 0.4-0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.11 (Fig. 49.5).
Plate, fragment: flat, wide, arched wall, and strongly
everted rim� PW, red paint on its exterior and interior�
Yellow clay, slightly tempered with sand. H: 2; Wi:
1.6; Wth: 0.4-0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.12 (Fig.
49.6).
Folded beaker, body fragment: DTCW. Clay fired
to black on its exterior, and light grey on its interior,
medium tempered with rough sand. H: 4.5; Wi: 4;
Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.8.
Folded beaker, fragment: high, elongated body
decorated with foldings; narrowing neck; and
rounded, everted, short rim. LTCW, orange-red
clay, slightly tempered with sand� Secondarily
burnt. H: 3.4; Rec Rd: 7; Wi: 2.8; Wth: 0.3; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.9 (Fig. 49.7).
Lid (No. 3): glued from several fragments. Round
knob handle; high lid-disk becoming rather flat
towards its rim; its rim is wide, with a vertical edge.
Traces of red paint on its upper surface. PW, orangered clay, slightly tempered with sand� Its sherds
were also found inside Urn ‘A’ (Cat. 4). H: 5.3;
Knob Diam: 4; Diam: 19; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.5
(Figs� 48.3; 76�5).
Lid, fragment glued from two pieces: slightly
bevelled rim, conical lid-disk. DTCW, dark grey
clay, medium tempered with rough sand. Rec Diam:
13; Wth: 0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.7 (Fig. 49.2).
Lid, fragment: oval, conical knob with the start of
the lid-disk. DTCW, clay fired to black, medium
tempered with rough sand. Knob Diam: 2.2×2.8;
Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.10 (Fig. 49.1).
Glass bottle (from Urn ‘B’, Cat. 3), fragment: glued
from several fragments; the upper part of the neck
and its spout are missing� Thick, solid, slightly
concave walled foot; ovoid body narrowing towards
the top; high, narrowing shoulder; cylindrical
neck narrowing towards the spout� A twisted line
decoration can be seen on the neck and the upper
three-quarters of the body. Transparent, white glass,
with lots of small and medium air bubbles� Perhaps
the vessel is mould-blown. H: 11.5; Bd: 4; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.13 (Figs. 51.7; 93�3-4).
Glass balsamarium (from Urn ‘B’, Cat. 3),
fragment: spout and upper part of neck are missing,
melted� Rounded, slightly pointed base, cylindrical
body� Transparent, green glass, with lots of small
and large air bubbles. L: 4.5; Th: 0.9-1.2; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.14 (Fig. 51.8).
Glass fragments: tiny pieces belonging to an
unidentifiable object� White glass, with a few small
air bubbles. Wth: 0.5-1.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.15.
Glass beads (No. 13): 3 pieces melted together.
They are globular, slightly elongated towards the
top, with a narrow hole at the centre� Blue, opaque
glass. Diam: 0.3×0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.16
(Figs� 51.9; 87.6).
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
30� Golden-headed bronze pin (Nos. 7 and 14): intact.
The pin is bent, and the golden head detached
from it. The pin is pointed at one end; its other end
becomes thin and ends in a small knob� The head,
bent from a thin gold sheet, was probably attached
to it. Cylindrical neck, with a biconical body. L:
13; Th: 0.3; Pin head: 0.7×1; We: 0.12; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.25 (Figs. 51.2-3; 86�4-5).
31� Bronze strap end (No. 9): intact. The end joining
the belt is an elongated trapezoid shape with a tiny
rivet in it; it connects to a stem divided by a globular
element into two halves and decorated with a knob
at its end� The part between the boss and the belt has
a rhomboid section, while that between the globular
element and the knob is round sectioned� Silver
plated. L: 6; Wi: 0.3-1; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.26
(Figs� 50.5; 85�2).
32� Bronze wire (from Urn ‘B’, Cat. 3), fragment: round
sectioned, almost bent at a right angle. L: 3; Th: 0.2;
Id. no.: 48.38574.188.29 (Fig. 51.4).
33� Iron object (No. 8), fragment: square sectioned,
slightly rounded at one end, and broken at the other�
Bent almost at a right angle around its middle. H:
9,5; V: 0,7-0,9; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.30 (Fig. 52.2).
34� Iron nail: intact� Slightly domed head with square
sectioned spike. L: 5.5; Th: 0.6; Head Diam: 1.8×2;
Id. no.: 48.38574.188.31 (Fig. 52.13).
35� Iron object (No. 15): intact (?). Flat, pierced at one
end, and driven through by an iron nail near its
centre� Its square sectioned other end is thick, bent
and continues in a thinning hook. Hook Th: 0.5-1;
Plate L: 4.5; Hook L: 6; Iron nail L: 1.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.32 (Fig. 52.1).
36� Iron nail (from Urn ‘B’, Cat. 3), fragment: head
broken off� Square sectioned, bent at a right angle�
L: 3.5; Th: 0.4-0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.33 (Fig.
52.7).
37� Iron object (No. 2): broken at one end. Square
sectioned. L: 3; Th: 0.7-0.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.34
(Fig� 52.12).
38. Iron object (No. 17): broken. Square-sectioned,
thick, one end hammered flat, hook-shaped. L: 7;
Id. no.: 48.38574.188.35 (Fig. 52.3).
39� Iron nail (from Urn ‘B’, Cat. 3), spike fragment:
square sectioned. L: 3.7; Th: 0.4-0.6; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.36 (Fig. 52.6).
40� Iron nail: the end of its point is missing� Slightly
convex, with round head and square section. L: 1.3;
Th: 0.3; Head Diam: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.37
(Fig� 52.11).
41� Iron knife: (No. 6): its point and tang are broken.
Its central tang connects to the blade with a slight
tilt� The long, wide blade becomes narrow in its last
quarter; straight cutting edge. L: 17.8-14.4 (blade),
3.3 (hilt); Blade Wi: 1.6-3.4; Hilt Th: 0.6; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.38 (Figs. 52.14; 89.5).
42� Iron object (No. 17), fragment: rectangular
sectioned, narrowing. L: 2.8; Th: 0.7×0.4-0.4×0.3;
Id. no.: 48.38574.188.41 (Fig. 52.10).
17� Glass vessel, fragments: from a thin-walled glass
balsamarium with cylindrical body� Transparent,
white glass, with a few small and large air bubbles�
Wi: 0.5×2.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.17.
18. Glass, thick walled, fragmentary: transparent, white
glass, with a medium amount of small and large air
bubbles. Wi: 0.5×2.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.18.
19� Glass bead (from Urn ‘B’, Cat. 3): intact. Irregular
globular shape, flattened at the top and bottom, with
a thin hole at the centre� Light green glass, with lots
of small air bubbles. Wi: 0.6×0.6, Hole Diam: 0.1.
Id. no.: 48.38574.188.40 (Figs. 51.10; 87.7).
20� Glass bead (from Urn ‘B’, Cat. 3): intact. Small,
lentoid, with a thin hole at the centre. Bluish-green
glass, with lots of small air bubbles. Wi: 0.4×0.3,
Hole Diam: 0.1. Id. no.: 48.38574.188.40 (Figs.
51.11; 87.4).
21� Glass bead (from Urn ‘B’, Cat. 3): intact. As Cat.
20. With lots of small air bubbles. Wi: 0.4×0.3, Hole
Diam: 0.1. Id. no.: 48.38574.188.40 (Figs. 51.12;
87.5).
22� Gold foil (No. 16): fragmentary, deformed. Fine
piece decorated with impressed geometrical
pattern. Diam: 1.1×1.8; We: 0.14; Th: 0.01; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.20 (Figs. 51.6; 86�3).
23� Bronze ring: intact� Silver plated round band, with
a flattened hexagonal section. Exterior Diam: 4.6;
Interior Diam: 3.3; Th: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.21
(Fig� 50.6).
24� Bronze mount (No. 10): intact. Its body is shaped of
an openwork pelta motif and a joining rectangle; it
is cast in one piece with its hook on its back, which
is closed by a tiny square plate. Cast. Wi: 2.1×2.1;
Th: 0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.22 (Figs. 50.4; 85�3).
25� Belt buckle (from Urn ‘B’, Cat. 3): the inner frame
is damaged, the hook is broken� Its body was
made of bronze� Large, circular, with openwork
decoration (on the interior a band of three segments
runs parallel with the edge; and stylized leaves and
tendrils (?) on its exterior); three connecting peltae
join onto it on one side� The hook was made of iron
and had been bent onto the openwork decoration�
Diam: 7.3; Hook L: 4.5; Hook Th: 0.4; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.23 (Figs. 50.3; 85�1; 93�4).
26� Ring fibula (from Urn ‘A’, Cat. 4): one end and its
pin are broken� Bent from a square sectioned piece
of iron wire; its ends had been hammered flat and
curled backward. Diam: 3.8-4.4; Ring Th: 0.3-0.6
Pin L: 3; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.39 (Figs. 51.5; 84.6).
27� Bronze button (No. 12): intact. Hollow, semiglobular
head, with cylindrical stem, and a flat and round
foot. L: 1.6; Head Diam: 1.7; Foot Diam: 1; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.24 (Figs. 50.1; 85�5).
28. Bronze button (No. 11): intact. As Cat. 27. L:
1.6; Head Diam: 1.7; Foot Diam: 1; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.27 (Figs. 50.2; 85�4).
29� Bronze object, fragments (from Urn ‘B’, Cat. 3):
perhaps parts of a bronze stud. L: 0.5-1.3; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.28.
60
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
N-S (4°) oriented, square grave pit with strongly rounded
corners, L: 180; Wi: 120; De: 7.
The grave appeared in the western end of the northern
trench of Enclosure ditch 99 /110� Its limits could not be
observed� There were sherds on its surface, which turned
out to be prehistoric� A few calcined bones appeared
around it� The fill of the ditch frame was visible below
it� Thus, it is certain that this grave was dug after the
enclosure ditch had been filled up� The prehistoric pottery
sherds (Id. nos.: 48.38574.111.1-2) certainly ended up in
the grave fill secondarily� A square based, shallow grave
pit could be documented during the excavation�
Anthropological analysis: 58 g of tiny and medium,
greyish-white, bluish-white and grey calcined bones of an
unsexed, 10-15 year-old child.
Residual: 1-2. Due to disturbance, it cannot be determined
if the assemblage contained any grave goods�
Dating: 80 /150 post quem (probably sometime after 175).
43� Iron object (No. 17), fragment: square sectioned,
bent. L: 2.4; Wi: 0.5×0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.42
(Fig� 52.8).
44� Iron hook (No. 17), two fragments: semicircular
sectioned, arched. L: 2.2 and 4.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.188.43 (Figs. 52.4-5).
45� Iron nail (?) (No. 17), fragment: rectangular
sectioned. L: 1.8; Th: 0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.44
(Fig� 52.9).
46� Carved bone object: intact� Secondarily burnt�
Lathe-worked from the coronet of the shed antler
of a red deer (Cervus elaphus). Its exterior parts
had been burnt to white, its interior to black. Discshaped, pierced through its centre, with a concentric
rib around it on one side. Diam: 3.58; Hole Diam:
0.92; We: 12.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.188.19 (Figs.
51.1; 94�1-2).
Grave 29 (175 /192; AJ-05; Figs. 53.1-2)
Finds
Secondary cremation in a ceramic vase� A part of the human
remains were placed into the urn without the pyre remains�
N-S (348°) oriented, round grave pit, L: 60; Wi: 51; De: 19.
The limits of the feature could not be observed; there were
calcined bones and tegulae on its surface� Apart from the
tegulae fragments, there was a jar inside the grave (No. 1;
Cat. 1), with a large amount of calcined bones at its bottom.
Anthropological analysis: 332 g of very tiny, tiny and
medium, chalk-white, greyish-white and bluish-white
calcined bones of an unsexed, 15-30 year-old individual.
Secondary grave good: 1. Residual: 2-3. Due to
disturbance, it is possible that we only partially know the
grave assemblage�
Dating: 100-180.
1�
2�
Grave 31 (190 / 207; BJ-01; Figs. 54.2-3)
The rite of the grave cannot be determined clearly due to
the disturbance caused by the agricultural cultivation� It is
either a secondary cremation placed into a ceramic vase;
or a secondary cremation where the calcined remains had
been placed beside the ceramic vase�
The grave appeared as a black filled patch� Calcined
remains, charcoal, pottery and daub lay on its surface�
Its patch already indicated that it had been disturbed�
Agricultural cultivation almost entirely destroyed the
grave, except its bottom� The fragments of a black vase
were found in its strongly charcoaly fill, with a few tiny
calcined bones scattered about�
Round grave pit, Diam: 111; De: 14.
Anthropological analysis: 12 g of tiny and medium, chalkwhite, greyish-white, grey and coal-black calcined bones
of an unsexed, at least 5 year-old individual.
Grave good (?): 1.
Dating: 1/ 50-425.
Finds
1�
2�
3�
Jar, body fragments: handmade, medium tempered
with tiny pebbles, grey. Residual. Wi: 5.5×5.5; Wth:
0.9. Dating: Bronze Age, Urnfield culture; Id. no.:
48.38574.111.2.
Storage vase: everted rim, handmade, strongly
tempered with tiny pebbles and mica-schist,
greyish-brown. Residual. Rd: 25; Wi: 6.5×9; Wth:
1.6. Dating: Bronze Age, Urnfield culture; Id. no.:
48.38574.111.1.
Jar (No. 1): low foot, concave base. High, becoming
extremely narrow towards the base; its ovoid
body reaches its largest width below the shoulder�
LTCW� Light brown clay, medium tempered with
rough sand� The human calcined remains had been
placed inside this jar. H: 20; Rd: 14.5; Bd: 7; Wth:
0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.192.1 (Figs. 53�3; 75�2).
Jar, body fragment: LTCW. Clay fired to red and
grey, medium tempered with rough sand. H: 3.1;
Wi: 5; Wth: 0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.192.2.
Jar, body fragment: handmade coarse ware. Clay
fired to red on exterior and to brown on interior,
tempered with fine pebbles and grog� Prehistoric
residual find. Wth: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.192.3.
Grave 30 (100 /111; BI-17; Fig. 54.1)
Finds
Secondary cremation� The rite of the grave cannot be
determined clearly due to the disturbance caused by
the agricultural cultivation� It is certainly a secondary
cremation; probably a type where the calcined bones were
placed inside the grave without a container, or in one made
of organic material�
1�
61
Jar (?), body fragments: DTCW. Clay fired to
black, reddish-brown core, medium tempered
with rough sand. H: 9; Wi: 9; Wth: 0.6-1; Id. no.:
48.38574.207.1 (Fig. 54.4).
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
8.
Grave (?) 32 (98 /141; BI-17; Figs. 55.1-2, 5)
Bib: Ilon 2010, No. 21, 30-31.
E-W (260°) oriented, square pit with rounded corners, L:
138; Wi: 96; De: 36.
The feature appeared as a charcoaly patch� The area
belonging to the pit was possibly bordered by the squareshaped Enclosure ditch 98 /108. Only a single iron nail was
found during its excavation� The structure was completely
destroyed by agricultural cultivation� There were no
calcined bones inside the pit�
Dating: 75-125 (?).
9�
Grave (?) 33 (102 /115; BI-17; Figs. 57.1-2)
No human remains were found inside the pit� Its
topographical location indicates that it was related to Grave
6 and its enclosure ditch� This is supported by the fact that
based on the find material they are contemporaneous� It is
very likely that this is not a burial, but a feature connected
to Grave 6 (offering pit, the remains of the funeral feast,
the funerary pyre, or from another visit paid to the burial
place).
E-W (270°) oriented, rectangular pit with rounded corners,
L: 119; Wi: 74; De: 20.
Pottery sherds could be seen on the surface of its light
brown filled feature� The burnt animal bones were mostly
found in the south-eastern corner of the pit. The northwestern quarter was almost completely empty� Apart from
the finds near the surface, it contained no other finds�
Definite stray finds within the assemblage: 5, 6.
Dating: 40-100, most probably 70-100.
Finds
1�
Iron nail: intact� Flat, round head with square
sectioned spike. L: 2.2; Th: 0.3; Head Diam: 0.8; Id.
no.: 48.38574.141.1 (Fig. 55.3).
Enclosure ditch 98 /108 (BI-11-12, BI-16-17; Figs. 55�2,
4-5)
The ditch appeared as a square-shaped, black filled patch
with a N-S axis open on its southern side. The ditch
encloses a 6.5×6.6 m area, with ‘Grave’ 32 in its centre. Its
eastern ditch section is shared by Enclosure ditch 99 /110�
At the meeting point of the ditches, it turned out that it
joins with Enclosure ditch 99 /110 to form a U-profiled
ditch� Both their fills had contemporaneous find material�
Measurements of the ditch: L: 21; Wi: 0.9; De: 0.5 m.
Finds
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
Glass balsamarium, fragment of rim and neck:
white, transparent glass, with a medium amount of
medium air bubbles. H: 6.6; Wi: 0.9; Wth: 0.2; Id.
no.: 48.38574.108.7.
Coin: Obv: Beardless head of an emperor. Rev:
extremely worn� As, dating: 1st century. From
unidentifiable mint. Diam: 2.8; We: 8.76; Id. no.:
48.38574.108.8 (Fig. 56�5).
1�
Jar, body fragments: with brushed decoration�
LTCW, grey clay, medium tempered with rough sand�
H: 5.5; Wi: 4; Wth: 1.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.108.4.
Jar, body fragment: decorated with incised hatched
pattern and wavy line. LTCW, orange-red clay,
slightly tempered with sand, badly fired. H: 2.5; Wi:
2; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.108.5.
Jar, fragment: DTCW. Flat base; widening body
with steep wall� Grey clay, medium tempered
with rough sand. H: 7; Bd: 24; Wth: 1.4; Id. no.:
48.38574.108.6 (Fig. 56�4).
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Fired to black, tempered
with sand. Wth: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.108.9.
Tripod vase, rim sherd : deep, inward curving,
and wide body; low, rounded, almost vertical
rim� DTCW, black clay, medium tempered with
tiny pebbles. H: 3.5; Rd: 31; Wth: 1.1; Id. no.:
48.38574.108.2 (Fig. 56�3).
Small bowl with everted rim, fragment: wide, deep,
curving body; strongly everted, rounded, curving
rim. LTCW, orange-red clay, slightly tempered with
sand. Secondarily burnt. H: 4; Rd: 21; Wth: 0.4; Id.
no.: 48.38574.108.1 (Fig. 56�2).
Lid, fragment: conical knob handle. DTCW, grey
clay, medium tempered with rough sand. Knob
Diam: 4.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.108.3 (Fig. 56�1).
2�
437
438
62
Samian cup, base fragment: its material is soft,
fired to greyish-pink. Traces of reddish-brown
glaze on its surface� An undecipherable, perhaps
anepigraphic master stamp in planta pedis (L: 1.2)
lies inside a lathe-worked circle on the interior of
the ring foot. Form: Consp. 34� From a North Italian
workshop in the Po Region� Based on the quality of
the material, it belongs to the Fabric E� Secondarily
burnt. Dating: Claudian-Flavian period, more
probably Flavian. H: 0.8; Diam: 3.8; Wi: 4; Wth:
0.2-0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.115.1 (Figs. 57�4; 72.6).
Samian plate, base and rim fragment: its material
was fired to yellowish-grey, its glaze is red coloured
to dark brown at parts� Applied dolphin to the left
below the rim (L: 2). Form: Consp. 20.4� From a
North Italian workshop in the Po Region� Based on
the quality of the material, it belongs to the Fabric
E� Secondarily burnt� The dolphin ornament is
very similar to, perhaps identical with one of the
decorations appearing on the pieces from the L.M.V.
group�437 A very similar ornament is known from
Arrabona�438 H: 1.7, 3.8 and 1.5; Wi: 2.7 and 7.3; Rd:
ca. 20; Wth: 0.5; Dating: Claudian-Vespasian / Titus
period; Id. no.: 48.38574.115.2 (Figs. 57�3, 3a;
72.5).
Schindler-Kaudelka et al. 2001, Abb� 44� D19
Gabler 1967, 3� ábra 4�
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
Small bowl, fragment: LTCW. Greyish-white clay,
well-levigated, badly fired. H: 2.5; Wi: 2.5; Wth:
0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.115.4.
Small storage vase, body fragment: decorated with
a vertical incised line pattern� LTCW, grey clay,
well-levigated. H: 1; Wi: 3.5; Wth: 0.2; Id. no.:
48.38574.115.3.
Bone splinter: the animal species or the type of bone
cannot be determined�
Long bone fragment from probably a rodent
(Rodentia).
Pig (Sus domesticus): burnt bone fragments, from
an immature specimen. Head (mandible), ribs,
foreleg, lower leg: front half of the animal.
incised line. LTCW or PW, greyish-yellow, welllevigated� Secondarily burnt� Originally, the jug was
probably painted. H: 4.5; Wi: 14; Wth: 0.5; Rec Bd:
9.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.164.1 (Fig. 59�3).
Grave 36 (186 / 203; AJ-05; Fig. 59.4)
Secondary cremation (most probably a simple cremation).
W-E (278°) oriented, square grave pit with rounded corners,
L: 83; Wi: 59; De: 8.
Calcined bones, pottery, charcoal and daub were on the
surface of the oval feature and in its black fill� Agricultural
cultivation destroyed a significant part of it; only the
bottom of the pit could be excavated�
The human bone remains, due to their preservation and
insignificant size, could not be collected�
Grave good (?): 2. Residual (?): 1.
Dating: 1/ 50-425.
Grave (?) 34 (146 /161; AI-25; Figs. 58�1-2)
E-W (64°) oriented, almost round pit, L: 66; Wi: 59; De: 5.
The feature was mostly only indicated by the pottery on its
surface� The finds excavated were thoroughly disturbed by
agricultural cultivation, and lay scattered about the area of
the grave� The remains of several vases were found, which
had been separated later at the restoration laboratory�
There were no human bones in the grave�
Dating: 75-200 (?).
Finds
1�
2�
Finds
1�
2�
3�
Plate, partly joining fragments: horizontal base
without foot; wide, flat, steep-walled body;
extremely inverted, rounded rim� LTCW, red clay,
slightly tempered with sand� Secondarily burnt�
H: 3.5; Rec Rd: 25; Rec Bd: 16; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.161.1 (Fig. 58.5).
Folded cup, partly joining fragments: everted,
rounded, short rim, and a slightly elongated, round
body decorated by indentations� DTCW, grey clay,
medium tempered with rough sand. H: 4.5; Rec Rd:
10; Wi: 7; Wth: 0.2-0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.161.2
(Fig� 58.4).
Jar, fragment: almost horizontally flaring rim, with
an incised groove on its edge� LTCW, brown clay,
medium tempered with rough sand, its surface is
rough. H: 1.5; Rim Wi: 1.8; Wi: 4.5; Wth: 0.8; Id.
no.: 48.38574.161.3 (Fig. 58.3).
Grave 37 (103 /116; BI-13; Figs. 60.1-2)
Primary inhumation� Rectangular grave pit with rounded
corners, L: 184; Wi: 90; De: 50.
Orientation of the skeleton: S- N (182°). In extended supine
position, the forearms resting on the abdomen�
It appeared as a light brown filled, rectangular feature�
The first finds came to light 40 cm deep� A small storage
vase (No. 1; Cat. 9) in the south-eastern corner of the
grave was placed outside of the coffin� On its eastern side
lay an iron lock in vertical position with a bronze tongue
(No. 2; Cats. 13, 17-20); while on its west side were the
hinges necessary for opening the box (Nos. 3-4; Cats.
15-16). The skull was found at the southern part of the
grave� At the northern end of the grave, on the outside of
the right foot lay an iron ring with a silver wire twisted
around it and 10 silver rings (No. 5; Cat. 11) strung on
it� This find was placed inside the coffin� A bronze ring
(No. 6; Cat. 12) lay next to its right thigh. For the study
of the coffin structure used for the burial, a section was
cut at the centre of the grave, which resulted in further
fittings (Nos. 7, 9; Cats. 14, 23). The discolouration of the
wooden parts, however, could not be seen in the section�
Anthropological analysis: a 23-30 year-old woman.
Grave good: 9, 11-12. Parts of the wooden box: 13-22.
Residual: 1-8, 10.
Dating: 80-200.
Grave (?) 35 (149 /164; AI-25; Figs. 59.1-2)
SW-NE (232°) oriented, rectangular pit with rounded
corners, L: 134; Wi: 98; De: 16.
Charcoal, pottery sherds, and daub fragments were visible
on the surface of the black filled feature� Its fill was very
loose, interwoven by plant roots� Agricultural cultivation
destroyed a significant part of it; only the bottom of the pit
could be excavated�
The structure did not contain human remains�
Dating: 1/ 50-300(?).
Finds
Finds
1�
Jar, body fragment: LTCW. Light grey clay, medium
tempered with rough sand. H: 5; Wi: 6; Wth: 0.4; Id.
no.: 48.38574.203.1.
Iron nail (?): the lower part of its spike is missing.
Solid, cone-headed, with a thick, square sectioned
spike. L: 3.3; Th: 0.7; Head Diam: 1.4; Id. no.:
48.38574.203.2 (Fig. 59�5).
1�
Jug, unjoining sherds: low foot; body with curving
wall� Two body fragments are decorated with an
63
Jug, body fragment: red paint on its exterior. PW,
yellow clay, well-levigated, badly fired. H: 5.5; Wi:
4.5; Wth: 0.6; Id. no.: 48.38574.116.15.
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
8.
9�
10�
11�
12�
13�
14�
15�
16�
Jug, body and rim fragment: LTCW. Orange-red
clay, well-levigated, badly fired. Wi: 3×2.8; Wth:
0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.116.1.
Jug, rim fragment: LTCW. Yellow clay, welllevigated, badly fired. Wi: 2.5×1.5; Wth: 0.3; Id.
no.: 48.38574.116.4.
Jug, body fragment: LTCW. Orange-red clay, welllevigated, badly fired. Wi: 1.5×1.5; Wth: 0.6; Id.
no.: 48.38574.116.5.
Large storage vase, rim fragment: wide, horizontal
rim� DTCW, clay fired to black, medium tempered
with rough sand. Rec Rd: 18; Rim Wi: 2; Id. no.:
48.38574.116.3 (Fig. 60�3).
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Grey clay, slightly
tempered with rough sand. Wi: 3.5×2.8; Wth: 0.7;
Id. no.: 48.38574.116.6.
Jar, body fragment: decorated with two parallel
grooved lines. DTCW, clay fired to brownish-grey
on exterior, black on interior, with reddish-brown
core, medium tempered with rough sand. Wi:
3.5×3.5; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.116.7.
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Clay fired to black
on exterior, brown on interior, with reddish-brown
core, medium tempered with rough sand. Wi: 3×2;
Wth: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.116.8.
Small storage vase (No. 1): intact. Flat base;
downwards slightly elongated globular body; short,
steep shoulder; short neck decorated with a single rib;
slantingly everted and rounded rim� DTCW� Dark grey
clay, medium tempered with rough sand. H: 9; Rd: 5.5;
Bd: 3.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.116.2 (Figs. 60�4; 77�9).
Small storage vase, base and body fragment:
DTCW, light grey clay, medium tempered with
rough sand. Wi: 7.5×4; Bd: 6; Wth: 0.4-0.6; Id. no.:
48.38574.116.9.
Iron loop with silver rings (No. 5): broken into two,
with smaller sections missing� The two ends of the
iron loop are spirally twisted onto each other� A piece
of silver wire is coiled 31 times onto one half� 10
rhomboid sectioned silver rings are strung onto the
iron loop� Their ends are spirally twisted into each
other. Iron ring Diam: 9; silver rings Diam: 1.6-2; Id.
no.: 48.38574.116.16 (Figs. 62�4-14; 85�6).
Bronze ring (No. 6): intact. Round, circular
sectioned, cast. Diam: 4.2; Th: 0.4; Id. no.:
48.38574.116.10 (Fig. 62�15).
Bronze rivet (No. 2; belongs to the lock mechanism):
a part of the head is missing; slightly deformed.
Flattened head, with narrowing short spike. L: 1;
Th: 0.1; Head Diam: 1.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.116.19
(Fig� 62�25).
Box fitting (No. 9): as Cat. 23, with smaller parts
missing from the plate. L: 6.5; Wi: 5.7; Plate Th:
0.2; Nail head Diam: 1.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.116.11
(Figs� 62�2; 91.1).
Iron hinge (No. 4). L: 13; Wi: 4.5; Spike Th: 1; Id.
no.: 48.38574.116.17 (Figs. 61.4; 91.4).
Iron hinge (No. 3). L: 13; Wi: 4; Spike Th: 1; Id. no.:
48.38574.116.18 (Figs. 61.5; 91.3).
17� Iron handle (No. 2): intact. Its shaft narrows in one
direction, with an angular section� One end is bent
upwards, widening; while its other end turns to the
side and narrows. L: 9; Wi: 2.7; Th: 0.7; Id. no.:
48.38574.116.21 (Figs. 61.2; 90.1-2).
18. Iron key (No. 2; belongs to the lock mechanism):
intact� Strongly corroded, badly preserved� Tiny ring,
with a short stem and sideways connecting blade. L:
8.5; Wi: 2.7; Th: 1.2; Id. no.: 48.38574.116.22 (Figs.
61.3; 90.3).
19� Bronze lock mechanism with iron escutcheon (No�
2): a part of the escutcheon is missing� Fragment
of circular iron plate, with two iron rivets in it,
and a slightly amorphous, trapezoid keyhole� A
cast bronze tongue was attached to its interior�
Escutcheon: Diam: 11; Tongue L: 8.5, Wi: 1.8 and
Th: 0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.116.23 (Figs. 61.1; 90.12).
20� Iron nail (No. 2): 6 pcs, point broken off; globular
head, deformed, with fragmentary spike. L:
4.4; Th: 0.3-0.7; Head Diam: 0.9-1.3; Id. no.:
48.38574.116.20 (Figs. 62�16; 18-21, 23).
21� Iron nail (No. 8): flattened head with cylindrical
sectioned spike. Head Diam: 1.2; Th: 0.3; Id. no.:
48.38574.116.12 (Fig. 62�17).
22� Iron nail, spike: 2pcs, rhomboid sectioned. Th: 0.3;
Id. no.: 48.38574.116.13 (Figs. 62�22, 24).
23� Box fittings (No. 7): intact. Rectangular, wrought
iron plate, with three globular headed rivets�
Wi: 7.2×5.6; Th: 0.2; Nail Diam:1.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.116.14 (Figs. 62�1, 3; 91.2).
Grave 38 (125 /139; BI-17; Figs. 63.1-2)
Primary inhumation�
The grave is oriented N-S (350°), L: 233; Wi: 93; De: 57.
It appeared as a rectangular patch with uncertain contours�
The skeleton is in extended supine position, the arms
crossed in front of the chest� Based on the position of the
chest bones, the decomposition of the body must have
happened in the open air, either in a presumed wooden
coffin, or a construction of wooden boards was placed
inside the grave� The pottery had probably been placed
onto the wooden construction, after the disintegration of
which they had fallen onto the body� On the exterior side of
the right knee of the deceased appeared a yellow jug (No�
1; Cat. 1), and between the two knees there was a red, small
storage vase (No. 3; Cat. 3). A folded baeker (No. 2; Cat. 2)
lay at the right foot� The only item of clothing was a bronze
fibula (No. 4; Cat. 7) to the left of the head. The neck of
the jug is broken, while the cup is completely intact� The
contours of the presumed coffin could not be determined�
Remains of organic materials could be discerned on the
chest and pelvis of the deceased� Following the removal
of the skeleton and the find material, a rectangular dug pit
could be documented�
Anthropological analysis: 26-35 year-old man.
Grave good: 1-3, 7. Residual: 4-6.
Dating: 140-180 / 200.
64
Catalogue of graves, enclosure ditches and their finds
Finds
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
Jug (No. 1): its spout is missing. Low ring foot, base
jutting out at centre� Elongated ovoid body with
high shoulder and cylindrical neck� Once with round
spout� An elliptic sectioned strap handle runs from the
shoulder up into the upper part of the neck, breaking
at a right angle� LTCW, yellow clay, slightly tempered
with sand. H: 17.5; Rd: 3; Handle Wi: 2; Bd: 4; Wth: 3;
Id. no.: 48.38574.139.2 (Figs. 63�3; 79�3).
Folded beaker (No. 2): intact. Base flat, narrowing
downwards, its globular body is decorated by
indentations, as well as two parallel incised line
decorations running around the vase on the shoulder
and belly. Its shoulder is flat; its neck short; its rim
rounded and everted� DTCW, grey clay, medium
tempered with rough sand. H: 13; Rd: 8; Bd: 6; Wth:
0.3; Id. no.: 48.38574.139.3 (Figs. 63�6; 78�1).
Small cup with handle (No. 3): glued from several
fragments, its handle is missing. Low foot; its globular
body is slightly flattened at the top and bottom; its
everted rim becomes thin� The traces of where the
handle attached can be found at the widest point of
the belly and on the shoulder. LTCW, orange-red clay,
slightly tempered with sand. H: 12; Rd: 8; Bd: 5.5;
Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.139.1 (Figs. 63�5; 77�8).
Deep bowl with horizontal rim (?), rim fragment:
horizontal rim, slightly slanting downwards; 2 and 3
incised lines at its ends running round� DTCW, clay
fired to black, slightly tempered with rough sand. Rd:
17; Rim Wi: 1.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.139.4 (Fig. 63�4).
Ceramic vase, rim and body fragment: DTCW, clay
fired to black, medium tempered with rough sand. H:
3.1; Wi: 3.1; Wth: 0.4-0.7; Id. no.: 48.38574.139.5.
Mortarium, body fragment: LTCW. Red clay,
medium tempered with sand. H: 2.1; Wi: 2.4; Wth:
0.9; Id. no.: 48.38574.139.6.
Bronze fibula (No. 4): intact. Strongly profiled
fibula, 2×4 spiralled, with external cord. Its head
is trumpet-shaped; its bow is decorated by profiles;
its foot is elongated with a multi-profiled knob.
Its catch-plate is high and wide. Cast, with incised
decoration. L: 5.5; Wi: 2.1; Id. no.: 48.38574.139.7
(Figs� 63�7; 84.1).
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
7�
Jar (No. 1): glued from several fragments. Low
foot with concave sides; slightly biconical body
narrowing strongly towards the bottom; steep
shoulder; short neck; everted, horizontal topped
rim with triangular section� Asymmetric, careless
pottery work� DTCW, dark grey clay, at parts fired to
black, medium tempered with rough sand. H: 16.5;
Rd: 14; Bd: 6.5; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.165.1
(Figs. 64.3; 75�3).
Jar, everted rim and body fragments: incised line
on the top of rim� DTCW, dark grey clay, medium
tempered with rough sand. H: 1.8; Wi: 5.3; Rim Wi:
1.5; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.165.2.
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Clay fired to black on
exterior and brown on interior, medium tempered
with rough sand. H: 3.5; Wi: 5; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.:
48.38574.165.4.
Jar, rim sherd: top of rim is decorated with parallel
grooves� DTCW, clay fired to black, medium
tempered with rough sand. H: 1.2; Wi: 4.3; Rim Wi:
1.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.165.7.
Jar, body fragment with brushed decoration:
DTCW. Clay fired to grey-red spots on exterior,
grey on interior, medium tempered with rough sand�
H: 3; Wi: 3; Wth: 0.7-0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.165.8.
Jar, base and body fragment: DTCW. Red clay, at
parts fired to grey patchy, medium tempered with
rough sand. H: 3.5; Wi: 3.5; Bd: 13; Wth: 0.5; Id.
no.: 48.38574.165.9.
Jug, body fragments: LTCW. Yellow clay,
slightly tempered with sand. Wth: 0.5; Id. nos.:
48.38574.165.3 and 5-6.
Grave 40 (189 / 206; AJ-05; Figs. 65�1-2)
Primary inhumation�
Bib: Ilon 2010, No. 266, 237.
W-E (265°) oriented, rectangular grave pit, L: 231; Wi: 97;
De: 27.
Square-shaped feature with a yellow, loessy fill. A small
amount of Roman pottery was found in the topmost layer�
Their position raises the question whether they had been
placed in the grave during the funerary rite, or secondarily
with the filling up of the grave, as the grave is undisturbed�
The level of the skeleton appeared 5 cm below the scraped
surface. A conical glass beaker (No. 1; Cat. 4) was placed
in the western corner of the grave� An iron knife lay next
to the left femur, while a bronze crossbow fibula (No. 3;
Cat. 5) was found on the right clavicle. The rim sherds of
a jar lay at the right pelvic blade�
Anthropological analysis: a 40-49 year-old man.
Grave good: 4-6. Residual: 1-3.
Dating: 330 / 335-420 / 450.
Grave 39 (150 /165; BI-21; Figs. 64.1-2)
Most probably a primary inhumation�
The orientation of the grave is E-W (72°), L: 136; Wi: 77;
De: 39.
It appeared as a light brown feature� Its fill was loose in its
upper layers, later changing to solid� Only a few pottery
sherds appeared from these strata� A badly preserved
skeleton was found at the bottom of the grave represented
by a few long bones and skull bones; and a collapsed
jar (No. 1; Cat. 1) lay in its western half. No signs of
disturbance could be observed�
Anthropological analysis: unsexed, 1-1.5 year-old child.
Grave good: 1. Residual: 2-7.
Dating: 100-200.
Finds:
1�
65
Jar, sherd: the steep shoulder and short neck are
covered with dense wheel-marks. Thickening,
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
2�
3�
4�
5�
6�
rounded, everted rim� DTCW, clay fired to black
on exterior, brown on interior, medium tempered
with rough sand. H: 5.5; Rd: 15; Wi: 3.5; Wth: 0.6;
Id. nos.: 48.38574.206.1-2 (Fig. 65.7).
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Clay fired to black and
dark grey, medium tempered with rough sand. H: 3;
Wi: 4; Wth: 0.8; Id. no.: 48.38574.206.4.
Lid, rim fragments: lid thinning strongly towards
the edges, with high, slightly curving sided rim�
DTCW, clay fired to black and dark grey, medium
tempered with rough sand. Diam: 14; Wth: 0.4; Id.
no.: 48.38574.206.3 (Fig. 65�5).
Glass beaker (No. 1): glued from several fragments.
Narrow, flat base; tall, conical body widening
towards the top; very slightly everted, rounded
rim� Transparent, very light greenish glass, without
air bubbles. H: 12.5; Rd: 8.5; Bd: 3; Id. no.:
48.38574.206.5 (Figs. 65.3; 93�1-2).
Crossbow fibula (No. 3): intact. Hinged, closure
without a spiral. Its T-shaped head is decorated with
thoroughly compressed beads on both sides, with
additional tiny knobs; and discoidal elements with
incised spiral ornaments before them� The spine of the
bow is decorated by a line of engraved dots between
two horizontal lines� Four incised circles on its foot at
the stem of the bow, and six more at the other end of
the foot� Cast from several parts, and decorated with
incised patterns. L: 7; Wi: 4.5; Id. no.: 48.38574.206.6
(Figs� 65�4; 84�3).
Iron knife (No. 2): its point is broken off. Small knife
with a long tang narrowing intensively towards its
end� Short blade with a curved cutting edge and a
convex spine. L: 13; Blade L: 7; Blade Wi: 2.3; Hilt
L: 6; Id. no.: 48.38574.206.7 (Figs. 65.6; 89.6).
Finds
1�
2�
3�
4�
5�
Grave 41 (192 / 209; BJ-01; Figs. 66.1-2)
Inhumation in a tile grave� Without doubt a primary
inhumation�
Bib: Ilon 2010, No. 21, 30-31.
W – E (250°) oriented, rectangular grave pit, L: 127; Wi:
76; De: 61.
The feature appeared as a light brown patch� Its fill was
light, loessy and compact� The collapsed covering tegulae
appeared 23 cm below the scraped surface� At the eastern
end of the grave below the tegulae, lay a grey mug with
handle (No. 1; Cat. 4) on its side, and a small black bowl
(No. 2; Cat. 3). Only the vertical tegulae at the end of the
tile grave remained; the central ones were missing. The
grave was disturbed� This is also indicated by the scattered
skeletal bones� Apart from the long bones and the calvaria,
nothing remained�
Anthropological analysis: unsexed, 4-6 year-old child.
Grave good: 3-4. Residual: 1-2, 5. Due to disturbance, it is
possible that we only partially know the grave assemblage�
Dating: 285-400.
66
Jug, body fragment: LTCW. Red clay, medium
tempered with sand. H: 2.5; Wi: 3; Wth: 0.8; Id. no.:
48.38574.209.3.
Jar, body fragment: DTCW. Dark grey clay,
medium tempered with rough sand. H: 2.5; Wi: 4.5;
Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.209.4.
Small bowl (No. 2): glued from several fragments.
Low foot with concave base� Wide, flat body with
strongly concave wall; the transition of the body
to the almost vertical shoulder is articulated by a
sharp break and a ring in relief� The strongly everted
rim forms a collar, it is rounded at the top� DTCW,
clay fired to black, medium tempered with tiny
pebbles. H: 6; Rd: 16; Bd: 6.5; Wth: 0.5; Id. no.:
48.38574.209.1 (Figs. 66�4; 80�9).
Mug with handle (No. 1): glued from several
fragments, with small pieces missing. Asymmetrical;
foot concave on one side, and vertical on the other;
ovoid body’s lower half strongly narrowing, top
widening; high shoulder and short neck. Round
spout with vertical rim, with an incised horizontal
line parallel with the upper and lower edges of the
external face of the rim� Bipartite strap handle from
the widest point of the body up to the join of the rim
and neck� DTCW, grey clay, medium tempered with
rough sand. H: 13; Rd: 9; Handle L: 7.7; Handle
Wi: 1.7; Bd: 4.5; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.209.2
(Figs� 66�3; 78�4).
Small storage vase, base fragments: DTCW. Light
grey clay, medium tempered with rough sand. H:
2.8; Wi: 2.2; Wth: 0.4; Id. no.: 48.38574.209.5.
Interpretation of the graffiti
Andrea Barta
Seven vases with incised inscriptions made after firing
were found in cremation Grave 4� Latin letters can be read
on six Samian plates and small bowls and on one coarse
ware bowl among the grave goods� The grave can be dated
to the end of the 1st, or to the beginning of the 2nd century�
supposed that initially the M D I letter group was intended for
Nos. 5-7, just as it had been for No. 4.
Due to their shape, the letters on the Samian vessels were
incised on the more easily accessible yet normally hidden
lower parts, and not on their thin vertical side walls with
appliqué decoration� The three letters on plate No� 1 can be
read as A M D at first sight, but considering that the M and
D were not incised with one line but with repeated cuts, the
possibility arises that the A without a horizontal hasta should
be read as I similarly to the ones on the Samian bowls, which
were also indented twice� Apart from this letter group two
independent incisions can be seen on the vessel, on the
exterior of the ring foot, where the C-shaped one must be
considered as intentional because of the accurate sketching�
A palely visible Y-shaped incision, starting out as an X, is
probably accidental due to the lack of the above-mentioned
accuracy, as well as the other type of X that can be seen on
plate No� 2�
1. = Cat� Grave 4� 2
Incisions: I M D or A M D – on ring foot
C – on exterior of ring foot, on lower wall of pot, close to
ring foot
X – on exterior of ring foot, on lower wall of the plate, under articulation of wall
2� = Cat� Grave 4� 3
Incisions: M O H or M D I – inside the ring foot, radially
X – on exterior of ring foot, on lower wall of the plate
3� = Cat� Grave 4� 1
Incisions: I TIIRATIS or I(?) Curantis – on exterior of ring
foot, on lower wall of vase, under articulation of wall
I (lower footbar extending left) or S – on exterior of ring
foot, on lower wall of the plate
Inside the ring foot of plate No� 2 the first two letters of
the tripartite letter group: M O are clearly visible; however,
the third is problematic� It is easiest to consider it as a
cursive H, the variation more closely similar to the Latin
small h, whose vertical stem was again incised twice� Yet,
considering that we are confronted by another three-letter
group and the characters on plate No� 1 were scratched in
several times with several lines, it is again possible that the
letter l was intended by the engraver� Besides, it is possible
that the engraver intended to incise a D instead of the O
as well, although the written forms of the Ds on the other
ceramics do not support this hypothesis� Usually the writing
of these letters was very similar� The reading depended on a
tiny movement: usually the stem of the D, and the left half
of the O made of two half-circles was incised first (which
could easily be identical, if the stem of the D curved a bit or
the arch of the O happened to be straighter); and secondly
with both letters the right half-circle was engraved.439
The M D I letter group incised this way would be more
acceptable considering the above-mentioned examples, as
well as better corresponding with the whole group of finds,
but as long as none of the variations have unquestionable
interpretations this can only be seen as an assumption�
4� = Cat� Grave 4� 4
Incisions: M D I (retrograde D) – on wall of vase, upside
down
5. = Cat� Grave 4� 7
Incisions: M D – on wall of pot, upside down
6� = Cat� Grave 4� 5
Incisions: I D [-] (or [M] D I – upside down, with retrograde D) – on wall of the bowl
7� = Cat� Grave 4� 6
Incisions: D – on wall of the bowl
The graffiti basically repeat three letters (M, D, I) except for
the name on plate No� 3� Other incisions can also be observed
on the Samian ware examples; nevertheless, apart from the X
on plate No� 2, the rest can be interpreted as damage because
of the different sketching and line thickness� The graffiti were
incised on the walls of the Samian bowls – in the case of
small bowl No� 5 the vessel was unmistakably set on its rim
when the inscription was made as the two letters can be read
from this viewpoint� Supposing the same in the case of small
bowl No� 4, the letter D must be interpreted as retrograde,
not the M� The D was similarly incised – dish standing on
its base – into the severely damaged and fragmentary small
bowls Nos. 6-7, but as the M is missing (probably originally
incised into No. 6, yet without trace on No. 7), it can only be
The graffiti were applied to the lower horizontal part of
plate No� 3 following the curve of the join� On the basis
of the -is ending, most probably the owner’s name can
be read on the vase in genitive form, although the simple
nominative or the plural dative cannot be rejected either�
However, the interpretation of the name is not so easy, as
439
67
Mallon 1982, 187-189.
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A further, though less probable interpretation of this
tripartite letter group can be derived from the site� As grave
inscriptions, these letters – though generally in a different
order – signify the expression D(is) I(nferis) M(anibus)� In
connection with the inscription on plate No� 2, it has to be
mentioned that the instance of the letter H appearing in this
abbreviation occurs in several parts of the Empire� Scholars
dealing with these inscriptions interpret it as the equivalent
of heros or consider it a hypercorrection�444 Incised pots are
frequent grave goods: among the material from Grave 3
at Hallstatt, different names can be read on numerous pots
connecting to the burial rite – presumably these were buried
next to the dead as sacrificial accessories of the mourners,
as ‘accompanying gifts’.445
the pretty form could hide several name variations� It is not
clear whether the I-shaped sign at the beginning of the row
is a letter or not� If yes, it is still questionable whether it is
the first letter of the name, as it was incised further from
the others and is less deep� However, its intentionality is
doubtless, since in the case of plate No� 1, A / I also stands
further from MD, just as in the case of vessels Nos� 4 and 6�
The accurate reading of the letters in front of the R causes
further problems: they seem to be the letters TII standing
on a discontinuous base line where first the letters, then the
horizontal base line were incised�440 The first letter could
be a C due to the discontinuous base line, but owing to the
presence of the upper horizontal hasta longer on the left
and the footbar, a T reading is more likely�441 The other half
of the discontinuous base line connects the two Is below,
thus it could be read as V (U), but apart from the fact that
this is a very rare writing of this letter, the footbars of the
Is also contradict this hypothesis� A horizontal hasta-like
line appears at the lower quarter of the second I, but due
to its uncertainty it is probably accidental and not an E
without an upper hasta� The letters incised after the R can
be interpreted as AT, or as ANT standing in ligature� The
latter is underpinned by the fact that the oblique footbar
is missing from the T, which was marked in a distinctly
visible way in the case of the first letters of the inscription�
To summarize the interpretation of the letters, the I
TIIRANTIS reading is most likely but it cannot be accepted
without doubt because of the problematic decipherment� If
the form is interpreted as genitive, the two parallel I-s are
read as an e, and the vertical line standing in front of the
letter group is accepted as a word initial I, then we would
arrive at the name Iterans, which is unknown so far, yet
it would be regularly formed�442 Among the numerous
less probable readings the I(?) Curantis version has to be
emphasized, which might be anticipated from the overall
picture of the text; however, the reasons mentioned above
do not underline this hypothesis – just as the Iterantis
version is also questionable.
The problems referring to the incised marks on the seven
vessels, and some of their possible interpretations have been
defined above� Only the most admissible were mentioned
out of the numerous variations; nevertheless, none of them
can be wholly accepted until further analogies are found –
since if importance is attributed to the I-like signs incised
further from the other letters, then newer possibilities may
emerge�
The inscriptions on vessels Nos. 4-7 are without doubt
the works of one hand: the arrangement, the shaping of
the letters, and the pottery types bearing the incisions are
similar�443 Probably they were also incised on the vessels at
the same time� The three letters infer a tria nomina reading,
which can only be specified if we suppose that the incisions
create one unit; thus, by accepting the Iterans reading of
the third incision, it can be considered the cognomen of the
M D I abbreviation� In this case the M D I inscription would
imply the owner of the pot�
440
As the lower section of the letter stems and their right angled oblique
footbars are cut by this line; on incised letter fragments standing on base
lines, cf� Barta 2006, 137, kat� 92�
441
Though on the basis of Mallon 1982, 187-189, the writings of these
letters are extremely similar�
442
The inscription does not have to be regarded as a name by all means,
but the words incised on pots in genitive were used as names almost
without exception�
443
Such assemblages where the same name and abbreviation occurs
several times are also known from other sites: one of the closest parallels
is from Nagykanizsa, Inkey kápolna site where the name Paulina appears
25 times on pottery fragments: Bilkei 1985, 12.
444
L’Année Épigraphique 1976, 00624: D(is) H(eroibusque?) I(nferis)
M(anibus) / Campanus / ex decurion[e] / vixit an(n)is / Asholes co[niugi
bene] / merenti po[suit] / avetes(!) supe[ri]; and ILAlg-02-03, 10181: D(is)
{H}I(nferis) M(anibus) / M(arcus) Iulius / Felicio / vix(i)t annis / XXI�
445
Zabehlicky 1991, 278.
68
Roman graves at the Szombathely – Vát sector of Main Road 86:
results of the anthropological analysis
Gábor Tóth
the southerners were shorter and lower, and their stature also
shorter than those living in the northern part of the province�
The women living in the border areas had longer, wider, and
lower skulls than the women of the interior areas�
Introduction
We know very little about the population in the Early Roman
period today due to the general use of cremations as the
burial rite� More can be found out about the inhabitants of
the Late Roman period, as inhumations were wide-spread
during that period�446 While there is more information from
the eastern half of Transdanubia (Valeria province); the
population of the western half of the region is less well
known (part of Late Roman Pannonia Prima province).
Apart from the cemetery at Keszthely – Dobogó with a larger
number of individuals,447 we only have a scattering of data
from elsewhere�448 The data from Vas County consist of the
solitary graves at Chernelházadamonya449 and Csepreg;450
the cemetery of Sárvár with mixed rituals;451 the cremations
at Zanat;452 and from various sites at Szombathely�453 It is
rather promising that various anthropological series have
been examined (by the author, as yet unpublished) from the
regions of Transdanubia and Szombathely (Savaria).
The sites of Western Transdanubia did not contain such a
large amount of graves with well-preserved bone material
to enable similarly detailed analyses� As proven in practice,
the soil conditions do not favour the preservation of bones,
especially that of skulls which could be used as reference
material� Therefore, another result of the newer studies
was the possibility to make comparisons between the
various provinces based on the skeletal remains of Western
Transdanubia regarded as a combined sample� The distance
analysis indicates that there was a difference between the
populations of Eastern and Western Transdanubia�456 In
Western Transdanubia, based on the average dispersion
quotient of cranial measurements, both sexes were more
mixed than in Eastern Transdanubia� Similarly to Eastern
Transdanubia, the women from this region turned out to be
less mixed as well� Based on the average skull measurements,
the neurocranium of both men and women were long, of
medium width and medium height, with medium wide
forehead and zygomatic process� The viscerocrania of men
are short and low; while that of women are of medium length
and height� Men have very narrow and low orbits, and their
noses are of medium width; the orbits of women are narrow
and low, and their noses are narrow� The average height
of Western Transdanubian men is 168.3 cm and 158.6 cm
for women, which is a tall-medium stature category. The
percentage of tall individuals among both sexes exceeded
70%� Men were taller by almost 2 cm, women by almost 3
cm in comparison to the Eastern Transdanubian examples,
where most individuals were also tall, although their rate did
not reach 50%� In Western Transdanubia, only a fifth of the
population was of small build, in contrast to the eastern half
of Transdanubia, where a third of the men and a quarter of
the women could be categorized into this group�
Until recent years, during the comparative analysis of the
inhabitants of the Carpathian Basin, conclusions on the Late
Roman population with anthropological methods could only
be deduced from East Transdanubian data�454 Based on the
results of these analyses, the anthropological image of the
Roman population was relatively homogenous: Caucasoid
population with medium long-long skull shape. The body
height decreased slightly from the north towards the south� A
recent comparative analysis using partly unpublished data455
confirmed the observation that the East Transdanubian Late
Roman population (from Valeria) was moderately mixed, with
a majority of long skulls and medium statures� The growth
of information has enabled the comparison of the northern
and southern halves of the former province; as well as that
of the border territories and the interior regions� Although
the populations of the northern and southern halves of the
province, and those living at the border areas or the inlands
were not significantly different to each other, a slight variation
could still be identified based on the skull sizes and the
stature values� That is to say, in the case of men the skulls of
More precise results can be hoped for with the unified
study of the cemeteries in Savaria� A database of the results
is being compiled; it also contains the mostly unpublished
metrical data from excavations where the anthropological
material has already been analysed�
Éry 1991, 40-42.
Varga et al� 2005�
448
For a summary, cf. Merczi 2001; Merczi and Tóth 2010.
449
Zoffmann 1981 [1988].
450
Tóth 1994�
451
Tóth and Kiss 2008; Tóth and Merczi 2010.
452
Tóth 2005 [2006].
453
Tóth 1999; Ilon and Tóth 2001; Tóth 2003; Tóth 2004; Tóth and Buda
2004; Mayer et al. 2006; Tóth et al. 2006; Merczi and Tóth 2008.
454
Éry 1982; Éry 1983; Éry 1998; Fóthi 1998; Fóthi 2000; Varga et al.
2003�
455
Merczi 2006; Merczi 2007.
446
447
Materials and methods
The anthropological analysis was conducted on the
cremated, at times inhumated bone material from the
456
69
Merczi and Tóth 2010; Tóth and Merczi 2010.
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
and the interior structure of the femur is between 20-30
years�
burials at the three sites of the excavated road sector� The
forty bone remains, indicated by individual stratigraphical
numbers, were skeletal remains in seven cases, while the
rest of the burials could be identified as cremated material�
The cremated remains are stored in separate containers
according to the stratigraphical removal of the fills within
the urns�
Grave 3: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving
in 5 containers is 310 g� The tiny and medium sized
fragments are greyish-white, grey and coal-black. Sex
based on the score of +2 of the linea aspera and the 7-8 mm
thickness of the skull bone is male� Age based on the bone
measurements and development is between 25-50 years.
The remains were examined in accordance with the
recommendations of Lisowski, Nemeskéri and Harsányi,
Wahl, Herrmann, Van Vark and Czigány�457 The basic data
of sex and age and the analysis of the skeletal remains were
estimated based on the general works of Éry and Molleson;458
the estimation of stature was based on the methodology of
Sjøvold�459 Taxonomic classification followed the system
set by Lipták�460 Demographic calculations (estimations)
were prepared with the use of the palaeoanthropological
computer program made by Bernert�461
Grave 4: The material from the grave was published
separately�463 As stated here, we can summarize the major
anthropological results in the following: the analysis was
carried out on 1446 g of cremated human bones� These
can be supplemented by a further 6 g of fragments from
the wrist area showing female traits, with minimal traces
of green patina, found next to a bronze vessel belonging to
the grave goods; and 88 g of slightly burnt bone material
comprising parietal bone fragments, which do not show
any gender traits or sutures, but in comparison to the other
parietal bone fragments of the grave the 5-7 mm thickness
indicates male features� The sizes of the fragments vary
from tiny pieces to the insufficiently cremated ones (above
70 mm). They are chalk-white, greyish-white and greyishblue in colour� Despite the high temperature, the remains do
not indicate that they had been thoroughly cremated� Most
likely, the hot ashes were not cooled down suddenly, as the
signs indicating a sudden change of temperature cannot be
observed on the fragments� All the anatomical regions of the
skull and skeleton can be found among the remains� Even
without a more precise examination, the three larger femur
pieces clearly indicate that the remains had belonged to at
least two individuals. 1st individual: 30-40 year-old man.
Obliteration: score of 2; trajectory of femur: score of 2.
Thick skull bone, 17 mm thick at occipital section, external
occipital protuberance +1, occipital surface +2. Linea aspera
+1. The diameter of the radius head is 17 mm. There are
no pathological alterations visible on the joint surfaces, the
dens of the second vertebra was slightly deformed in vivo�
2nd individual: 20-30 year-old woman. Obliteration: score
of 1, trajectory of humerus: score of 1. Gracile skull bone, 12
mm thick at the area of the occipital bone� Mandible, radius,
femur fragments are gracile in appearance� Reconstructed
size of the femoral head is 41 mm (-1). Linea aspera: -1.
Nemesbőd – Irtás-dűlő462
Feature no� 30 / Stratigraphic unit 73 (Grave 30 / 73 in the
following): The total weight of the cremated remains is
106 g. The tiny and medium sized fragments are greyishwhite, grey and coal-black. Sex unidentifiable. Age based
on the structure of the skull bones and a score of 2 of the
obliteration is between 20-40 years.
Grave 31/ 61: Skeletal remains� Fragmentary skull and
skeleton� Sex based on 5 characteristics, without weighing,
regarding the robust features of the bones, is probably
male (+ 0.8). Age, based on the interior structures of the
obliteration, humerus and femur, and the worn state of
teeth is between 33-39 years. Skull cannot be measured.
Some measurements of the extremities can be determined:
right clavicle 1:137. Right humerus 1:330. Left femur
9:32, 10:28, 19:48. Right tibia 1:235. Estimated height
160�1 cm�
Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő
Grave 1: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving
in 4 containers is 152 g� The tiny and medium sized
fragments are sandy-yellow and grey. Sex unidentifiable,
the greater sciatic notch has feminine traits� Age based on
the bone measurements, the obliteration with a score of 1,
and the worn state of teeth is between 15-25 years.
Grave 5: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving
in 9 containers is 408 g (without the animal bones). The
extremely tiny, tiny and medium sized fragments are
greyish-white, greyish-blue, sandy-yellow, grey and coalblack� Sex can be identified based on the femoral head, the
large cut in the hip bone and the gracile ulna as probably
female� Age based on the examinable teeth and the interior
structure of the femur is between 20-30 years.
Grave 2: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving
in 3 containers is 204 g. The medium-sized fragments are
grey and coal-black. Sex based on the score of +2 for the
femoral head is male� Age based on the bone measurements
Grave 6: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving
in 3 containers is 66 g (without the animal bones). The tiny
and medium sized fragments are greyish-white, sandy-
Lisowski 1968; Nemeskéri and Harsányi 1968; Wahl 1981; Herrmann
1988; Van Vark et al. 1996; Czigány 2000.
458
Éry 1992; Molleson 1986.
459
Sjøvold 1990�
460
Lipták 1980.
461
Bernert 2005�
462
NOCH site registration no. 67791; ield director: Ágnes Dobozi, 2008.
457
463
70
Fülöp et al. 2010�
Roman graves at the Szombathely – Vát section of Main Road 86: results of the anthropological analysis
Grave 16: The total weight of the cremated remains is 8 g.
The tiny fragments are greyish-white and sandy-yellow. Sex
unidentifiable� Age may be from infant category to x years�
yellow and grey� Sex unidentifiable� Age can be estimated
between 5-x years.
Grave 7: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving
in 5 containers is 220 g� The tiny and medium sized
fragments are greyish-white, grey and coal-black. Sex
unidentifiable� Age based on the bone measurements, the
development of the cranial bones, and the score of 1 for the
obliteration is between 15-30 years.
Grave 17: The total weight of the cremated remains
arriving in 4 containers is 330 g� The tiny and medium
sized fragments are chalk-white and greyish-white. Sex
unidentifiable� Age based on the bone measurements,
obliteration and joint surfaces is between 30-40 years.
Grave 8: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving in
2 containers is 158 g. The tiny and medium sized fragments
are greyish-white, brownish-blue, grey and coal-black. Sex
unidentifiable� Age based on the bone measurements and
the ulna fragments may be between 20-x years.
Grave 18: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving
in 2 containers is 20 g� The medium sized fragments are
chalk-white. Sex unidentifiable. Age based on the bone
measurements is between 15-x years.
Grave 19: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving
in 2 containers is 26 g� The tiny and medium sized fragments
are chalk-white and greyish-blue. Sex unidentifiable. Age
based on the bone measurements and the obliteration is
between 20-30 years.
Grave 9: The total weight of the cremated remains is 12
g. The extremely tiny and tiny sized fragments are chalkwhite and greyish-white. Sex unidentifiable. Age based
on the bone measurements, as well as the thicknesses and
structures of the flat cranial sections is between 3-5 years.
Grave 20: The total weight of the cremated remains
arriving in 4 containers is 984 g. The tiny and medium
sized fragments are chalk-white, greyish-white, grey and
coal-black. Sex unidentifiable. Age based on the bone
measurements, the tooth roots, the joint surfaces of the
phalanxes and the obliteration is between 30-40 years.
Grave 10: The total weight of the cremated remains
arriving in 6 containers is 269 g� The tiny and medium sized
fragments are metallic blue, light brown, sandy-yellow,
grey and coal-black. Sex unidentifiable. Age based on the
bone measurements, the vertebrae, tibia and olecranon of a
juvenile is between 18-20 years.
Grave 21: The total weight of the cremated remains is 6
g. The tiny and medium sized fragments are greyish-white
and bluish-white. Sex unidentifiable. Age based on the
bone measurements and structures is between 15-x years.
Grave 11: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving
in 2 containers is 50 g. The tiny fragments are greyish-white
and greyish-blue. There is green patina on some fragments.
Sex unidentifiable� Age based on the bone measurements
and the tooth root is between 10-20 years.
Grave 22: The total weight of the cremated remains
arriving in 4 containers is 200 g (without the bird bones).
The tiny, medium and large fragments are greyish-white,
sandy-yellow, grey and coal-black. Sex unidentifiable. Age
based on the bone measurements, structure and patella is
between 20-40 years. Regarding that the bone material was
placed into an urn, we can identify that the bone sizes grow
from top to bottom and the remains are less burnt�
Grave 12: The total weight of the cremated remains is 66
g. The tiny and medium sized fragments are greyish-white,
grey and coal-black. Sex unidentifiable. Age based on bone
measurements and structure, and a tooth is between 15-x
years�
Grave 13: The total weight of the cremated remains
arriving in 3 containers is 1116 g� The tiny, medium and
large sized fragments are greyish-white and sandy-yellow.
Sex unidentifiable� Age based on the bone measurements,
the obliteration, the interior structure of the humerus with
juvenile traits is between 18-25 years.
Grave 23: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving
in 2 containers is 796 g (without the animal bones). The
tiny and medium sized fragments are chalk-white, greyishwhite, bluish-white and greyish-blue. Sex based on the
gracile dens axis is probably female� Age based on the bone
measurements, the dens axis, the hand bones, joint surfaces,
tooth roots and the obliteration is between 20-30 years.
Grave 14: The total weight of the cremated remains is 20
g. The tiny fragments are chalk-white and greyish-white.
Sex unidentifiable� Age based on the bone measurements is
between 15-x years.
Grave 24: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving
in 3 containers is 596 g (without the bird bones). The tiny
and medium sized fragments are greyish-white, grey and
coal-black. Sex unidentifiable. Age based on the bone
measurements is between 20-x years.
Grave 15: The total weight of the cremated remains
arriving in 2 containers is 128 g (without the bird bones).
The medium sized fragments are greyish-white, light
brown and grey� Sex unidentifiable� Age based on the bone
measurements is between 20-x years.
Grave 25: The total weight of the cremated remains is 429
g. The tiny and medium sized fragments are greyish-white,
grey and coal-black. Sex unidentifiable. Age based on the
71
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
from the extremities: right humerus 7: 57, left femur 6:24,
7:27, 9:31, 10:22, 19:(43), 8:78. From separately packed
remains: the tooth neck of the lower right M7 shows signs
of caries. Signs of physical strain on the metatarsal bones;
lateral ridge formation on diaphysis.
bone measurements and structure, as well as the interior
structure of the humerus is between 15-30 years.
Grave 26: The weight of the cremated remains from Find
no� 1 is 4 g� The extremely tiny and tiny sized fragments
are greyish-white and sandy-yellow. Sex unidentifiable.
Age based on the bone measurements probably falls within
an infant category�
Grave 38: The inhumated remains consist of the fragmentary
skull and a generally well-preserved skeleton (with a
separate container of 5 g of unburnt bone fragments). Its
sex can be identified as male based on 15 characteristics,
without weighing, considering the robust quality of the
bones (+0.33). Its age based on the obliteration, the interior
structure of the humerus, the deterioration of the teeth, and
the joint surfaces is between 26-35 years. Following the
premortem and postmortem tooth loss of 26 teeth can be
examined, among which 2 have radix and 5 caries� A cyst
on the lower right 6 molar� An epigenetic trait is an inca
bone� The skull shows pathological deformations on the
left parietal bone, 17 mm from the sagittal suture, and 21
mm from the lambdoid suture, which is a 32×22 mm blunt
injury� The inner skull surface is negative� The wound had
healed without any complications� The pathological marks
of the extremities: physical strain on the calcaneum. The
mid-third of the right tibia had thickened with a minimal
angulation: the signs of a healed fracture, where the bone
had thickened, showing a cortex-like structure. Similar
type of thickening, angulation and cortex-like structure on
the fibula� Bone depositions indicating inflammation on the
medial side of the left tibia� Alterations indicating a fracture
at the distal third of the left fibula� Considering the above,
the appearance of the two limbs corresponds to the picture
of osteomyelitis developing after a fracture� Data measured
from the skull: 1:177, 8:149, 9:97, 10:127, 11:129, 12:114,
23:532, 43:103, 69:(31), 70:65, 71:34. Data measured from
the extremities: left clavicle 6:38. Right humerus 4:67,
7:68. Left humerus 4:66, 7:63. Right radius 1:272. Right
ulna 1:287. Right femur 6:31, 7:36, 8:105, 9:41, 10:29,
19:54, 20:90. Left femur 1:500, 2:498, 6:29, 7:34, 8:104,
9:41, 10:28, 19:54, 20:92. Estimated height 180.8 cm.
Taxonomically Cro-magnon type.
Grave 27: The total weight of the cremated remains
arriving in 3 containers is 825 g. The tiny and medium
sized fragments are greyish-white, sandy-yellow, grey
and coal-black. Sex unidentifiable. Age based on bone
measurements, tooth roots, phalanxes, the olecranon
process and patella is between 20-30 years. Regarding
that the bone material was placed into an urn, it is
characteristic that the bones grow darker, their sizes grow
from top to bottom and the remains become less burnt�
The badly burnt, larger bone fragments were placed at the
bottom of the urn�
Grave 28: The total weight of the cremated remains
arriving in 9 containers, originating from urns and from
among the grave goods is 4542 g� The tiny, medium and
large fragments are chalk-white, greyish-white, metallic
blue, sandy-yellow and grey. The well-burnt or slightly
burnt skull fragments, sutures, jaw fragments, tooth roots
and teeth, tubular bone pieces from the extremities, joint
surfaces, ribs and phalanxes indicate that they are the
remains of at least two individuals: one aged between 3050 years, of unidentifiable sex (Find 1); and the other aged
between 20-30 years, of unidentifiable sex (Find 4), but
based on the mandibular condyle it shows male traits�
Grave 29: The total weight of the cremated remains arriving
in 3 containers is 332 g� The extremely tiny, tiny and
medium sized fragments are chalk-white, greyish-white and
bluish-white. Sex unidentifiable. Age based on the bone
measurements, tooth root, and obliteration is between 15-30
years�
Grave 30: The total weight of the cremated remains is 58
g. The tiny and medium sized fragments are greyish-white,
bluish-white and grey. Sex unidentifiable. Age based on the
size of the pelvis fragment is between 10-15 years.
Grave 39: The inhumated remains consist of an incomplete
and fragmentary skull and skeleton� Sex unidentifiable
based on morphological characteristics� Age based on the
denture and the measurements of the long bones is between
1-1.5 years.
Grave 31: The total weight of the cremated remains is
12 g. The tiny and medium sized fragments are chalk-white,
greyish-white, grey and coal-black. Sex unidentifiable.
Age based on the bone measurements is between 5-x years.
Grave 40: The inhumated remains consist of a skull and
skeleton� Its sex can be identified as male based on 16
characteristics, without weighing, considering the robust
quality of the bones (+ 0.94). Its age based on the obliteration,
the interior structure of the femur, and the deterioration of
the teeth is between 40-49 years. Regarding the status of the
denture, the maxillary dental arch is insufficient for study�
On the mandible: 12 teeth were lost premortem, and 2 teeth
postmortem� Of the two dental arches, we can mention the
medium wear of 6 teeth and the presence of plaque�
Grave 37: The inhumated remains consist of the skull
and fragments of the incomplete skeleton� Its sex can be
identified as female based on 9 characteristics, without
weighing, considering the gracile quality of the bones
(-0.56). Its age based on the obliteration, the interior
structure of the femur and the teeth is between 23-30 years.
Taxonomically the individual can be characterized as a
‘gracile Mediterranean’ type. Data measured from the skull:
1:(170), 8:140, 10:(123), 11:123, 12:107. Data measured
Lesions due to physical strain on the calcanea and the
patellas� Ridge formation on the second cervical and on the
72
Roman graves at the Szombathely – Vát section of Main Road 86: results of the anthropological analysis
(calcined), or medium well-burnt remains; at times they are
burnt to a chalk-like texture, or are simply slightly or not
well-burnt at all, being partially fired or just singed pieces.
Their fragments are mostly in the range of tiny (10 mm
and smaller) and medium sized pieces (11-50 mm). The
number of extremely tiny and larger (above 50 mm) bone
fragments within the bone material is smaller� The bones
are broken in chunks, at times splintering� The fractures
are longitudinal� The cracks are arched� Deformity is not a
characteristic, occasionally the deformities on the surfaces
were bent in an angle, or twisted with an axis deviation�
All of the characteristics above indicate that the individual
graves, or the firing of various regions of the body within
the graves were not unified� Due to the large amount of
unidentifiable fragments, we cannot state that there had
been some sort of uniform system for the cremation of the
body parts based on the firing of the remains (for example,
a more careful cremation of the extremities, the body, or the
skull). Usually, the cremation was carried out at a medium
or low temperature; or if at a higher temperature, then for a
shorter period of time�
thoracic vertebrae. Data measured from the skull: 1:189,
8:143, 9:87, 10:112, 11:127, 12:113, 20:112, 45:131,
23:534, 43:101, 46:(76), 51:36, 52:31, 66:101, 69:25,
71:30. Data measured from the extremities: Right clavicle
6:43, left clavicle 6:39. Right humerus 7:72, left humerus
7:70. Right femur 1:470, 2:468, 6:30, 7:28, 8:92, 9:34,
10:29, 19:49. Left femur 1:475, 2:474, 6:30, 7:31, 8:95,
9:34, 10:30, 19:49. Right tibia 8a:36, 9a:30, 10b:82. Left
tibia: 8a:36, 9a:29, 10b:81. Estimated height 174.4 cm.
Taxonomically Cro-magnon type.
Grave 41: The inhumated remains consist of an incomplete
and fragmentary skull and skeleton� Sex unidentifiable
based on morphological characteristics� Age based on the
denture and the measurements of the long bones is between
4-6 years. The bag also contained 4 (long, tubular) bird
bones�
28 / 3 (ditch): An unburnt human skull fragment (120×85
mm; composed of only the two parietal and the frontal
bones) in the fill on the eastern side of the ditch delimiting
the settlement. Thickness 6-7 mm. Sex unidentifiable. Age
based on the obliteration score between 1 and 2 is between
25-35 years.
Based on our observations, the remains were placed into
the urn according to the size of the bone remains; it was not
determined by the order of the individual body regions� The
less well-burnt, larger bones were placed at the bottom;
and the smaller, well-burnt fragments on top. Likewise, our
earlier study aimed at defining whether the bone remains
had been placed inside urns following anatomical order
also proved this to be a false interpretation�466
Vép – Surányi-patak nyugati oldala464
Grave 57 / 316: The total weight of the cremated remains
is 174 g. The tiny and medium sized fragments are greyishwhite, bluish-white and light brown. Sex unidentifiable.
Age based on the bone measurements, the obliteration and
tooth root is between 15-25 years. Iron-oxide discolouration
on the maxillary dental arch�
Usually, the remains of a single individual were placed into a
grave; the contrary could be determined only in two cases of
cremations� In Grave 4, the remains of a man and a woman
could be discerned; while in Grave 28, the sex of the two
individuals cannot be identified� Among the graves examined
at the nearby site of Zanat II467, we may find further examples
for double burials� This could be observed in three cases out
of seven features at Zanat: twice an adult was interred with a
child; and once the remains of two adults survived.
Summary
The results of the skeletal remains, due to their small
numbers, age distribution and bad state of preservation,
are purely informational, and are inadequate for any genral
conclusions for the overall population� Stature could be
estimated in the case of three males (160.1 cm, 180.8 cm,
174.4 cm). In two cases, the values significantly exceed the
Western Transdanubian values that are a few centimetres
taller than the Eastern Transdanubian statures� These two
men taxonomically showed the characteristics of the CroMagnon type� Although our data are not decisive, the
question arises regarding the anthropological effects and
continuation of the original Celtic inhabitants�465
On the basis of sex determination and the age at death, we
can define that men and women, children and adults were
contemporaneously buried in the cemetery� Judging by the
large number of graves and the sex and age distribution, we
can presume that the cemetery had been in continual use by
the inhabitants of a settlement�
The estimated infant mortality rate, after the necessary
corrections (with the application of palaeodemographic
models), can be placed above 30%. The estimated life-span
at birth was 17�4 years, which is higher by almost two years
compared to the estimates of the same region’s Bronze Age
population�468 At the age of 20, an estimated further lifespan was 10�9 years� Estimations made with the help of
The weight of the cremated bone remains per grave varies;
being an average 282 g (rarely below 100 g, or above 300
g). The majority of the bone remains is greyish-white,
grey or coal-black. More rarely, sandy-yellow or chalkwhite� Even less frequently, some of the bone fragments
have discoloured to bluish-white, greyish-blue, light brown
or metallic blue. They usually sound dull and porcelainlike; more rarely sharp. Generally, these are well-burnt
466
Ilon and Tóth 2001�
Tóth 2005 [2006].
468
Tóth 2011a�
NOCH site registration no. 68685; ield director: Gábor Ilon, 2009.
465
Zoffmann 2009; Tóth 2011b.
464
467
73
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
palaeodemographic models469 indicate that following the
high mortality rate at infancy characteristic of the age, the
peak of the death rate in adulthood was between 20-30 years
(based on the high mortality rate of women, which is caused
by deaths during birth and puerperal fever). The gradual
decrease in the mortality rate is followed by another, slight
rise around the age of 35-40. This is due to the mortality
469
peak of men, which occurs in this age group� The analysis
of the skeletal remains also indicates that at this stage the
development of bone deformations caused by physical strain
were general. In Grave 38, the healed skull wound and the
fractures of the lower extremities healing with inflammatory
complications also indicate such a lifestyle�
Bernert 2005�
74
Analysis of the archaeozoological material from the three sites at the
Szombathely – Vát section of Main Road 86
Éva Ágnes Nyerges
animals (Fig. 100). The remains of mature specimens
can be found in the largest numbers with the majority
of species� In the case of cattle, the larger rate of adult
specimens – despite the fact that the remains of young or
still immature specimens together approach the number of
fragments – , apart from meat production, primarily refers
to the use of animals in agriculture� This seems to be further
supported by the withers heights (Fig. 101), which could be
measured in the case of a few long bones (1 cow, 2 bulls,
1 ox metapodium). Based on these, formerly large-medium
and large bodied cattle had lived at the settlement,472 which
also refers to their exploitation as draught animals�
Excavations at the sites of Nemesbőd – Általúton kívüldűlő and Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő I-II led by
Gábor Ilon were conducted in 2008-2009. The three sites
– nearly 10 km east of Szombathely, on an almost 5.5 ha
area – form a single interconnecting unit (Figs. 1-2).
Description of the animal bone material
The true significance of the Nemesbőd – Általúton kívüldűlő and Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő I-II sites is
represented by the Roman site complex extending across
the whole excavation area, which incorporates settlement
and cemetery remains dating to the 1st-4th centuries.470
While almost 40% of sheep had been slaughtered around
their third year or after (which may infer the importance
of the use of wool), pigs were almost always butchered
while still immature indicating their primary meat usage�
Despite these differences, the results of the classification
(Fig. 102), according to the quality of consumed meat
based on the system of Uerpmann, mirror the osteological
preservation of the animals’ anatomy, instead of revealing
a characteristic custom of consumption�473
The 112 Roman features with 141 archaeological structures
yielded a relatively large amount of archaeozoological
material: from the 1382 fragments, 1211 pieces belonged
to the settlement (Fig. 98), and 171 pieces were found in
the features of the cemetery�
The animal bone finds from the settlement
The designated excavation area covered the southern,
outer section of the former Roman settlement (see above
the Introduction). Among the features belonging to the
settlement section (mostly pits and ditches), only 46
contained animal bones (Fig. 98).
Among the horse bones, five long bones were adequate
for calculating the withers heights (Fig. 101). Based on
the results, we can reckon with small and low (1294.821319.18 mm), as well as large-statured (1597.50-1781.98
mm) horses – characteristic of the specimens appearing
in Roman horse burials and villa estates of Pannonian
indigenous Celtic settlements�474
81% of the relatively unfragmented (57%> = 5 cm) find
material could be precisely defined� 97% of these bones
belonged to domestic animals; while in comparison –
similarly to the composition of zoological remains at other
Pannonian villages and villas – the 2% of wild animal
remains can be regarded as insignificant�471 The highest
quantity as an extreme peak amount was that 41% of the
material consisted of cattle (Bos taurus) bones. The merged
category of sheep and goats (Ovis aries / Capra hircus)
comprises a much smaller group of 7%, which surpasses
the 4% of pig (Sus domesticus) remains by only a few
fragments� In the case of horses (Equus caballus 21%)
and dogs (Canis familiaris 25%), the majority of examples
were (almost complete) skeletons thrown into ditches and
buried in pits� Among game, only the bones of roe deer
(Capreolus capreolus, 1 pc) and wild boar (Sus scrofa, 2
pcs) could be identified according to species (Fig. 99).
Two of the horse bones suitable for measurements had
each belonged to an almost complete horse skeleton� The
two skeletons were buried west of the cemetery, basically
alongside it, but within the ditch surrounding the settlement
(Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő II), in relatively small
pits compared to the sizes of the animals, with legs drawn
up to the breast and lacking any harness – similarly to the
horse burial at the Early Imperial cemetery of Solymár
described by István Vörös citing parallels�475
The larger, large-bodied horse476 with a ca. 1608.16 mm
withers height was placed into the pit with its head towards
the west and lying on its right side (Pit 137 /158: Fig. 103.2).
Its neck was unnaturally pointing / pulled forward, which
40% of the fragments were adequate for determining the
age at time of death for the slaughtered or naturally dying
470
471
Vörös 1985-1986 [1987], 245; Vörös 1990-1992 [1993], 41.
Uerpmann 1973�
474
Vörös 1993-1994 [1994], 202.
475
Vörös 1991, 351�
476
Id. No.: 48.38576.158.1.
472
473
Ilon 2010, 31�
Vörös 1993-1994 [1994], 202.
75
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
may also be a result of the slight ‘backward tilt’ of the head.
The skeleton is incomplete� The nose, the left foreleg, as
well as the pelvis and two back legs are missing; their
existence, however, was indicated by a few bone splinters�
the complex study of the archaeological find material can be
read in the first publication of the burial�478
Grave 5 and Enclosure ditch 99 /110
Twelve animal bone fragments:
Pig (Sus domesticus Erxl. 1777), 7 fragments, vertebra
cervicalis, humerus, radius, ulna, metacarpus, phalanx,
one specimen, juvenilis (Cat. 41).
These bones were unearthed together with the human
cremated remains; although the fragments are not burnt,
therefore they had been mixed with the human remains
after they had cooled down�479 Thus, the bones were not
placed onto the pyre, but into the grave, probably serving
as a food offering�
Small ungulate (Ungulata) cranium, costa, vertebra –
based on the observations during the osteological analysis,
it is likely that these are fragments belonging to the young
pig (Cat. 42).
Large ungulate (Ungulata) costa from Enclosure ditch
99 /110 subsequently mixed in with the material (Cat. 9).
The smaller, low specimen,477 with only a 1294.82 mm
withers height had a much more complete skeleton; yet, the
preservation of most of its bones was rather poor� The animal
lay with its head towards the north in the pit (Pit 136 /157:
Fig. 103.1) on its right side. Its neck curved naturally; its
skull was missing apart from the section of its nose – most
probably it had been disturbed by the agricultural cultivation
carried out in the area� Its jaw is complete, except for the
coracoid and joint spurs� Its legs were pulled up to the body�
The 247 pieces of dog remains from Roman features
may have belonged to approximately 20-30 specimens
based on the observations made during their examination�
The finds are a mix of small, medium, and larger sized
specimens. 99% of the ‘carcasses’ were unearthed from
various sections of the ditches – already filled up to
various degrees naturally or deliberately – belonging to
the Roman settlement�
Grave 6
Sheep / goat (Caprinae) scapula, radius, ulna, phalanx;
from a young specimen; unburnt (Cat. 13); whether the
fragments had belonged to the same specimen could not
be discerned; they had been placed into the grave as a food
offering, or perhaps as parts of several ‘slices of meat’.480
Small ungulate (Ungulata) flat bone fragment, unburnt
(Cat. 14).
These bones – although they had been found among the
human cremated remains – do not show any signs of
transformation due to heat; that is, their mingling with the
human remains must have happened subsequently, as in the
case of Grave 5�
The animal bone finds from the cemetery
At the eastern half of the Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő
site, south-east of the former Roman settlement, a sector
of the cemetery dating to the 1st-4th centuries was also
excavated� Archaeozoological material was found in ten
out of 41 burials�
Grave 4
Fifteen animal bone fragments, not burnt, one from a
Samian ware plate (Cat. 2):
Domestic hen (Gallus domesticus L. 1758): vertebrae,
lumbosacrale, radius (sin., dex.), ulna (sin., dex.),
metacarpus (dex.), phalanx I.ant. (dex.), from a larger sized
specimen (Cat. 61).
The food offering consisted of the wings together with the
rump� The head and the bones of the free hindlimbs are
missing� No cut marks can be discerned on the bones, which
would indicate the initial removal of the legs� However,
purely taphonomic reasons for the absence of the body parts
may be refuted by the fact that skull remains did not come
to light even in cases of domestic hen offerings where the
otherwise fragile skeletal parts had been well preserved� The
skeletal bones that had survived were well preserved in this
case as well, and several measurements could be obtained
from them (Fig. 104). Traces of secondary burn marks
can be seen on the plate containing the hen placed into the
grave as food offering. The animal’s bones, however, had
not become burnt, although they were quite discoloured
when found; thus, the bowl had been placed onto the still
very hot calcined remains, but the bones were most probably
only stained by the ashy, dark soil covering them later� The
reconstructed description of the burial rite structured upon
Enclosure ditch 101 /113
Domestic horse (Equus caballus L.1758) tibia, in
fragments, very bad preservation, unburnt (Cat. 12).
Pig (Sus domesticus Erxl. 1777) radius, calcined, subadult
(Cat. 11).
Grave 8
One burnt bone pyxis (Cat� 5, Figs� 28�3, 94.3):
Large ruminant (Ruminantia); bone container carved from
the diaphysis section of the animal’s stylopodium (probably
femur); in 2 pieces. (For its detailed description see under
Cat. 5, and its assessment in ‘The Finds’ section).
Grave 15
Two pieces (Cat. 4) of calcined fragments from among the
human remains:
478
Fülöp et al. 2010, 122�
Palágyi and Nagy 2002, 55-65.
480
Palágyi and Nagy 2002, 136�
479
477
Id. Nos.: 48.38576.157.1-2.
76
Analysis of the archaeozoological material from the three sites at the Szombathely – Vát section of Main Road 86
Bone splinter, unidentifiable (Cat. 5).
Probably rodent (Rodentia) long bone fragment (Cat. 6).
Pig (Sus domesticus Erxl. 1777) 7 fragments, mandible,
costa, humerus, ulna and long bone splinters unidentifiable
more precisely, belonging to the same specimen (Cat. 7).
The immature pig skeleton remains – based on the extent of
how burnt and fragmented they were – probably required
less time for firing than what was needed for the cremation
of the human body�
The photographs of the grave (Fig� 57.2) show the left tibia
and astragalus (tibia, distalis epiphysis, sin., calcined;
astragalus, almost complete, sin., calcined) of a small
ruminant (Ruminantia) – probably belonging to a single
specimen – , which indicate further ‘offering(s)’ within the
feature�
Possibly from domestic hen (Gallus domesticus L. 1758),
tibiotarsus and ulna fragments, from one specimen� (For
the detailed description of the probable interment of the
bird remains see Grave 22).
Grave 22
Among human cremated remains, from the lower layer of
the urn, six calcined animal bone fragments:
Small ungulate (Ungulata) neurocranium fragment (Cat�
12).
Domestic hen (Gallus domesticus L. 1758) humerus, radius,
ulna, lumbosacrale, femur fragments, from one specimen
(Cat. 11).
Based on the remains, it can be presumed that the head and feet
of the domestic hen had been deliberately removed, while the
rest of the body had been left together as a food offering� As
these bones had been found together with the human cremated
remains, calcined, yet still in identifiable form, it is possible
that the hen had been placed onto the funeral pyre towards the
end of the ceremony, and the human and animal ashes were
lifted together from there into the urn�481
Assessment of the Roman period animal bone material
Animal remains definable as food offering in the
cemetery section at the Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő
site were found in only 6 graves (Graves 4, 5, 6, 15, 22,
24; total 15%). Contrary to the species averages (41%
cattle) indicated by the animal bone material (waste) of
the partially excavated and archaeologically still not fully
studied villa rustica at the Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyredűlő I-II sites, domestic hen and pig bones represented
the highest number of animals as meat offerings at the
cemetery. (Identifiable) sheep / goat bones were only
found in a single burial (Grave 6).
Grave 23
114 unburnt animal bone fragments from among the human
remains� All had been in secondary position, thus with
value for the documentation, but archaeologically they
cannot be determined:
Small ungulate (Ungulata) mandible fragment, not quite 1
g, unburnt, and can be regarded as a piece subsequently
mixed into the material (Cat. 3).
Bicoloured shrew (Crocidura leucodon H. 1780) mandible
fragment, modern (Cat. 4).
European mole (Talpa europaea L. 1758), 112 skeletal
fragments, nine specimens, modern (Cat. 5).
Based on the hen remains of the burials – most likely with
heads and feet ends cut off – , the hens had been placed
onto the pyre with the deceased, but only burnt for a
shorter period of time� However, the small number of such
examples (in Graves 4, 15, 22, 24) cannot sufficiently
support the general use of this method�
Grave 24
In the case of the two ungulates, the shoulder, spare ribs,
(fore-)thighs and hock parts can be discerned among
the offerings, regardless of whether they had been burnt
together with the deceased, or they had been placed into
the grave following the interment (cooling) of the human
remains� Yet, while with sheep / goat the bone remains
indicate the ‘meat slices’ of individual specimens, in
the case of the pig material, several parts (together or
separately) of a single specimen were placed into the
burials�
Two calcined animal bone fragments from among the
human remains, from the lower layer of the urn:
Probably domestic hen (Gallus domesticus L. 1758) long
bone fragments, from a single specimen (Cat. 8). (For a
detailed description of the presumed burial of bird remains,
see Grave 22.)
Grave 28
From Urn ‘A’ (Cat. 4), one burnt, carved bone object:
Red deer (Cervus elaphus L. 1758), from the shaft of a
shedded antler, lathe-worked, disc-shaped object (Figs.
51�1, 94.1-2). (For its detailed description see Cat. 46, and
for its assessment ‘The Finds’ section)
The mandible and skull fragments of a pig, and a small
ungulate probably identifiable as a pig, may also indicate
the possible existence of certain Celtic customs�482
Grave 33
Nine calcined fragments, mostly from the south-eastern
corner of the grave:
481
Zsidi 2003, 257; Palágyi 2003, 260.
482
77
Vörös 1991, 352�
Summary
Gábor Ilon, András Márton
The present volume contains the study of the most
significant feature of the Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő
site: a Roman cemetery. The site was excavated between
6 October 2008 and 23 April 2009 led by Gábor Ilon,
involving the excavation of 23,198 m² (Figs. 1-3).
The detailed environmental historical analysis of the
cemetery and its nearest surroundings, as well as the
modelled areas around the road line can be found in the
work of Pál Sümegi and his colleagues�483 Therefore, only
a short summary written by András Radics deals with this
topic in this publication�
The cemetery lies within the former ‘territorium’ of
Savaria (today’s Szombathely), ca. 1300 m north of the
road connecting the settlements of Savaria and Bassiana
(at the borders of today’s Sárvár?), on the eastern terrace
of the Surányi Stream, ca. 860 m from the watercourse, ca.
300 m east of the road leading to the town of Vép. Fortyfour features (37 graves, 4 structures with unidentifiable
functions, and 3 enclosure ditches) had been excavated in
the cemetery bordered from three directions (north, east
and west) (Fig. 3).
The situation regarding the cemeteries of the town’s
‘territorium’ within the Hungarian borders is similar.
Apart from the find material found by chance, such as in
the case of the two sarcophagi excavated at Répceszentgyörgy – Cigányháza-dűlő,486 we know of only a small
number of new finds� The nine graves connecting to the
Roman villa at Szombathely – Zanat (field director: Gábor
Ilon) were published by Szilvia Bíró,487 and she determined
the dates of the burials starting from the Flavian Age and
continuing for a further half century� At the northern bypass
section of Main Road 88 at Sárvár, at Site 4 of the rescue
excavations (field director: Gábor Ilon) conducted there
during 2004-2005, a hundred and twenty, mainly cremation
burials belonging to the Roman Age had been found�
According to the preliminary report, both Early and Late
Roman graves can be found at the excavated part of the
cemetery,488 of which a scientific analysis could open a new
chapter in the study of the cemeteries on the ‘territorium’
of Savaria�
After this sketchy review of the state of current research, it
is obvious that the sooner the data from the Nemesbőd site is
published the better, it may serve with significant additional
information for the description of the contemporary history
of the ‘territorium’ of colonia Savaria�
In order to identify the finds material of the cemetery
described here, and to search for for parallels, it is most
straightforward to examine the excavated cemetery sectors
and graves of Savaria, as well as its ‘territorium’;484
while in a wider context, the published record of the
Western Pannonian material is also to be considered� The
research of the Roman cemeteries in Savaria goes back
almost two centuries� As thus far the four cemeteries
could only be excavated on small contiguous areas during
rescue excavations connected to construction works, a
comprehensive chronological study could not be written
as yet – concluded Endre Tóth in the latest comprehensive
monograph�485 He estimated that about a hundred thousand
burials could have been carried out during the existence of
the colonia; while almost half a percent of these graves had
been excavated or destroyed – the rate of the latter being
much higher, in our opinion – up to the last century. The
number of professionally-excavated burial complexes has
grown due to the excavations conducted during the past
decade, yet his assertion considering the inadequate amount
of representative data still holds true; overall studies can
still not be carried out� The chronological distribution of
the known cemetery sectors is also rather uneven�
A cemetery sector (probably continuously) in use during
the Early and Late Roman periods was found at the site
of Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő (Fig. 3). It definitely
contained thirty-seven burials. One feature can be
identified either as the remains of some kind of ritual
offering, or perhaps as the pit where the remains of the pyre
were deposited� The function of three features cannot be
identified with any certainty� This part of the cemetery was
in use probably from the later period of the Flavian Age�
The earliest graves are located in three well-delineated
areas. At the north-eastern part of the site, there was a
group of burials surrounded by ditches (the female burial of
Grave 5, the child burial of Grave 6, and Grave 32 without
any cremated remains). South of these – at the other end of
the site – we find the isolated Grave 4, also serving as the
location of the cremation� It contained the remains of two
individuals (a 30-40 year-old man, and a woman between
20-30 years). Several signs indicate that Grave 4 had been
a privileged burial: this is the largest pyre location (grave)
in the whole cemetery section; there had been no other
burials in its vicinity for a long period; its grave goods are
483
486
484
487
Kiss and Szilasi 2000-2001 [2002].
Bíró 2005 [2006].
488
Kiss 2007, 271.
Sümegi et al� 2011a�
For the most recent deinition of its boundaries cf. Tóth 2011, 14.
485
Kiss et al. 1998, 52.
78
Summary
the richest among the excavated graves (bronze vessels, a
Samian ware set, imported oil lamp, and perfume bottles,
etc.). There are a few other early burials north-west of
this burial as well� The early phase of the cemetery was
oriented east -north-east by west - south-west according to
a geological or human feature� While there were no burials
near the pyre location built into a pit (Grave 4) for a long
time, they had used the area near the burials surrounded by
ditches, aligning the new interments to these, until the end
of the 2nd century. At the south-western part of the site,
the burial complexes show horizontal stratigraphy, with
the younger burials appearing gradually more to the north�
There had been a change in the 3rd century, from which
time the Late Roman burials were to be found along the
southern borders of the excavated are�
very rare in the province� Their customs of grave furnishing
had changed, with new forms of rituals and grave types
appearing [such as ‘heap of bones’ burials (Graves 37-40)
and tile graves (the cremation burials of Graves 16-21, and
the inhumation of Grave 41) during the course of the 2nd
century], others vanishing (such as the primary cremations
and coin offerings). Based on the belt buckle interred with
the deceased, a member of the community had joined the
army or was preparing to do so during the 3rd century
(Grave 28: Fig. 85�1).
All this points to the fact that the Early and Late Roman
cemetery had an unbroken history� Probably it is exactly a
sector of this later phase of graves that should be located
outside the area designated by the line of the auto route
towards the south�
The coins and oil lamps found in the burials of the earliest
horizon of the cemetery section indicate the ‘Romanised’
and Mediterranean aspects of the interments� The incised
inscriptions (Grave 4: Figs. 12-13, 67-69, 71 and 80) show
the knowledge and everyday usage of written Latin� The
Northern Italian Samian ware in Savaria and its environs is
known from burials connecting to the Boian elite – which
we cannot deal with here – , as well as to veterans and
immigrant communities�489 The Samian ware and thin-walled
vessels do not only bear witness to the material wealth of the
community, but also shed light on the use of Roman vessel
types for consuming food and drink, or at least this was
how they wanted to furnish their dead� The pyres built into
and above ditches appeared with the Roman occupation of
Pannonia� The cradle of this burial form should be sought
in Northern Italy� It had spread from there to other provinces
partially by military movement and enlistment� On the basis
of the above, the early phase of the cemetery sector connects
to an immigrant community (or its descendants), who most
probably had come from Northern Italy�490 Based on the
pyres built in and above ditches, they might equally have
come from Southern Gaul,491 as this had also been a popular
grave type there� The imprints of this are the knowledge
of script within the cemetery, the Samian ware and bronze
vessels, and the pyres built into pits or above them� The
burial customs of this little community – who perhaps were
the inhabitants of a villa estate which was partially excavated
at Site 7, namely Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő II,
lying west -north-west of the cemetery – can be followed
through more than three centuries after�
The relatively large number of graves and the distribution of
sex and age infer that this had been a cemetery in constant
use by a villa estate�
According to the anthropological analysis conducted by
Gábor Tóth, the results for the inhumations (due to their
small number, age distribution and bad preservation)
are purely informative and insufficient for making any
conclusions regarding the population� The height of three
male individuals could be estimated (160.1 cm, 180.8 cm,
174.4 cm). Two of these values significantly exceeded even
the values of Western Transdanubians, who surpass the
Eastern Danubian population by centimetres� The taxonomy
of these two men showed the characteristics of the CroMagnon type�
The estimated infant mortality rate, after the necessary
corrections (with the application of palaeodemographic
models), can be placed above 30%. The estimated life-span
at birth was 17�4 years� At the age of 20, an estimated further
life-span was 10.9 years. Estimations made with the help
of palaeodemographic models492 indicate that following
the high mortality rate at infancy characteristic of the
age, the peak of the death rate in adulthood was between
20-30 years (based on the high mortality rate of women,
which is caused by death during birth and puerperal fever).
The gradual decrease in the mortality rate is followed by
another, slight rise around the age of 35-40. This is due to
the mortality peak of men, which occurs in this age group�
Animal remains that can be identified as food offerings
with certainty were only found in six graves (Graves
4, 5, 6, 15, 22, 24; total 15%). Contrary to the species
distribution indicated by the archaeozoological find
material in connection with the settlement joining the
cemetery (41% of the settlement bone remains came from
cattle), the domestic hen and pig were the most frequent
animals deposited as food offerings� The hens with heads
and feet-ends cut off, were perhaps burnt on the pyre for a
short while together with the deceased� However, due to
the small number of occurrences (Graves 4, 15, 22 and 24),
During the 2nd century, indigenous peoples had also
possibly appeared among the population using the
cemetery (indicated by the Almgren 70 / 73 type fibulae,
and the Southern Pannonian anklet or bracelet). It is also
possible that other individuals from various provinces
had joined the community later, bringing the rite of the
secondary cremation inside an imbrex (Grave 17), which is
Gabler 1973, 25-26; Márton 2008, 136-140, Fig. 1.a-b.
For the roles of Northern Italian immigrants within the population of
Savaria and its ‘territorium’ cf. Mócsy 1959, 37-38.
491
There are examples of Southern Gallic immigrants in the ‘territorium’
of Savaria: Mócsy 1959, Nr. 32. and maybe Nr. 90 /15.
489
490
492
79
Bernert 2005�
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
it is not known if this method was generally in use� The
(identified) remains of sheep / goat bones were only found
in a single burial (Grave 6).
had been burnt on the pyre together with the dead, or had
been placed into the burials as secondary grave goods�
Nevertheless, while in the case of sheep / goat, the bone
remains infer that ‘meat slices’ from several specimens
could have been deposited in the burials; regarding the pig
remains, various parts of a single specimen (together or
separately) were sacrificed.
In the case of the two ungulate species, the deposition of
parts of the shoulder, spare ribs, (fore)leg and forequarter
hock can be observed irrespective of the fact whether they
Résumé
Gábor Ilon, András Márton
synthèse�495 Il a estimé qu’environ cent mille tombes auraient
pu être créées durant toute la période où la colonie a existé
; tandis qu’approximativement un demi pourcent de ces
tombes ont été fouillées ou détruites jusqu’au siècle dernier
– la proportion de ces dernières étant certainement beaucoup
plus importante, à notre avis – . Le nombre des complexes
funéraires fouillés selon les méthodologies modernes a
augmenté grâce aux opérations conduites lors de la dernière
décennie, mais, compte-tenu de la quantité insuffisante de
données représentatives, il reste vrai qu’une étude globale ne
peut pas encore être réalisée� La distribution chronologique
des sections connues des nécropoles est aussi assez inégale�
Le présent volume correspond à la monographie de la partie
la plus importante du site Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő
: la nécropole romaine. Le site a été fouillé sur une surface
de 23 198 m² (Figs. 1-3), entre le 6 octobre 2008 et le 23
avril 2009, sous la direction de Gábor Ilon�
Le détail des études environnementales et historiques du
site et de ses abords, ainsi que les résultats des opérations
effectuées le long du tracé routier peuvent être retrouvés
dans la publication de Pál Sümegi et leur collègues�493
Ces points n’ont donc fait l’objet ici que d’un bref résumé
rédigé par András Radics (Chapitre 4).
La nécropole se trouve sur l’ancien territoire de Savaria
(l’actuelle Szombathely), à environ 1,3 km au nord de la
route reliant Savaria et Bassiana (aujourd’hui en limite de
Sárvár ?). Elle se situe sur la terrasse orientale du Surány, à
environ 860 m du cours d’eau et environ 300 m à l’est de la
route menant à la ville de Vép�
La situation concernant les nécropoles du ‘territorium’
de la colonie, à l’intérieur des frontières de la Hongrie,
est similaire� Outre le matériel trouvé de manière
fortuite, comme par exemple les deux sarcophages
fouillés à Répceszentgyörgy – Cigányháza-dűlő,496 nous
connaissons seulement un petit nombre de trouvailles
nouvelles� Neuf tombes se rattachant à la villa romaine
de Szombathely – Zanat, ont été publiées par Szilvia Bíró,
qui a daté les tombes de l’époque flavienne au demi-siècle
suivant�497 Au niveau de la section nord du contournement
de la Route Principale 88 à Sárvár, cent-vingt tombes de
l’époque romaine, principalement à crémation, ont été
trouvées sur le Site 4 des fouilles de sauvetage conduites en
2004-2005 sous la direction de Gábor Ilon. Selon le rapport
préliminaire, la partie fouillée de ce cimetière comportait
des tombes du Haut-Empire et de l’Antiquité tardive.498
L’analyse scientifique de cette section pourrait ouvrir un
nouveau chapitre de l’étude des nécropoles du ‘territorium’
de Savaria�
44 structures (37 tombes, 4 structures de fonction non
identifiée et 3 enclos) ont été fouillées dans cette nécropole
délimitée sur trois côtés – nord, est et ouest – (Fig. 3).
Afin d’identifier le matériel de cette nécropole et pour
rechercher des parallèles, le plus utile est d’examiner les
segments de nécropoles fouillés et les tombes de Savaria et
de son ‘territorium’.494 A une échelle plus large, le matériel
publié de Pannonie occidentale doit aussi être pris en
considération� Les premières recherches sur les nécropoles
de Savaria remontent à près de deux siècles. Comme jusqu’à
présent, les quatre nécropoles n’ont pu être fouillées que
sur de petites zones contigües, à l’occasion de fouilles de
sauvetage liées à des travaux de construction, une étude
chronologique précise ne pourrait pas encore être menée –
comme le fait remarquer Endre Tóth dans la plus récente
Après ce bref résumé de l’état des recherches, il paraît
évident que plus les données du site de Nemesbőd seront
publiées tôt, plus elles seront utiles, car elles apporteront
Kiss et al. 1998, 52.
Kis et Szilasi 2000-2001 [2002].
497
Bíró 2005 [2006], fouille dirigée par Gábor Ilon.
498
Kiss 2007, 271.
495
Sümegi et al. 2011a, 201-353.
494
Pour l’hypothèse la plus récente sur le tracé de cet espace, voir Tóth
2011, 14�
493
496
80
Résumé
des informations nouvelles et significatives, sur l’histoire
du ‘territorium’ de la colonia Savaria�
types de vases romains pour la consommation de nourriture
et de boissons, ou tout au moins sur la manière dont ils ont
souhaité munir leurs défunts�
Une partie d’une nécropole en usage (probablement
de façon continue) pendant le Haut-Empire et
l’Antiquité tardive a été mise au jour sur le site de
Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő (Fig. 3). 37 tombes
y sont assurées� Une structure peut être identifiée soit
comme le vestige d’une fosse rituelle, soit, peut-être,
comme une fosse dans laquelle des restes de bûcher ont
été déposés� La fonction de trois autres structures ne
peut pas être identifiée avec certitude� Cette partie de la
nécropole était probablement en usage depuis la période
flavienne� Les tombes les plus anciennes se trouvent dans
trois endroits bien définis. Dans la partie nord-est du site,
il y avait un groupe de tombes entourées de fossés (la
sépulture féminine de la Tombe 5, la sépulture d’enfant
de la Tombe 6, et la Tombe 32 sans aucun reste brûlé). Au
Sud de celles-ci – à l’autre extrémité du site – se trouve,
isolée, la Tombe-Bûcher 4. Elle contenait les restes de
deux individus (un homme de 30-40 ans et une femme
âgée de 20 à 30 ans). Plusieurs signes indiquent que la
Tombe 4 était une sépulture privilégiée : il s’agit du plus
grand bûcher funéraire (ayant acquis le statut de sépulture)
de l’ensemble de cette section de la nécropole, il n’y a
eu aucune autre tombe dans son voisinage pendant une
longue période, son mobilier funéraire est le plus riche
parmi les tombes fouillées (vaisselle de bronze, service en
terre sigillée, lampes à huile d’importation, balsamaires,
etc.).
Les bûchers construits dans ou sur une fosse sont apparus
en Pannonie avec l’occupation romaine. L’origine de cette
forme de sépulture doit être recherchée dans le Nord de
l’Italie. De là, elle s’est diffusée dans les autres provinces,
en partie via les mouvements militaires et les enrôlements.
Sur la base de ce qui précède, on peut dire que la phase
ancienne de cette section de la nécropole est rattachée à des
communautés d’immigrants (ou leurs descendants), venus
très probablement du Nord de l’Italie.500
Si l’on se base sur les bûchers construits dans ou sur fosse,
ces personnes ont pu aussi provenir du Sud de la Gaule,501
car ce type de tombe était aussi populaire là-bas. Les traces
de leur présence au sein du cimetière sont des indices de la
connaissance de l’écriture, de la céramique sigillée et de
la vaisselle de bronze, ainsi que des bûchers dans ou sur
fosse� Les coutumes funéraires de cette petite communauté
– qui vivait peut-être sur le domaine d’une villa qui a été
partiellement fouillée sur le Site 7, Nemesbőd – Csepregivölgyre-dűlő II et située à l’Ouest – Nord-Ouest de la
nécropole – , peuvent être suivies sur plus de trois siècles.
Pendant le 2e siècle, des personnes d’origine indigène sont
peut-être aussi apparues parmi la population utilisant la
nécropole (ce qu’indiqueraient des fibules de type Almgren
70 / 73 et un anneau de cheville ou bracelet sud-pannonien).
Il est aussi possible que d’autres individus provenant de
provinces diverses aient rejoint plus tard la communauté,
apportant avec eux le rite de la crémation en position
secondaire dans une imbrex (Tombe 17), qui est très rare
dans la province. Leurs habitudes en matière d’offrandes
funéraires ont changé, avec de nouvelles formes de rituels et
des types de tombes apparaissant [comme des tombes à amas
d’ossements (Tombes 37-40) et des tombes en tuiles (les
sépultures à crémation des Tombes 16-21, et l’inhumation de
la Tombe 41) au cours du 2e siècle], d’autres disparaissant
(comme la crémation en position primaire et l’offrande de
monnaies). Une boucle de ceinture placée dans une tombe
laisse penser qu’un membre de la communauté avait rejoint
l’armée ou bien s’apprêtait à le faire, au cours du 3e siècle
(Tombe 28: Fig. 85�1).
Il y a aussi quelques tombes anciennes au nord-ouest de
cette sépulture� La phase ancienne de la nécropole était
orientée est – nord-est / ouest – sud-ouest selon des éléments
géologiques et / ou humaines déterminants. Alors qu’il n’y
a pas eu de tombe à proximité du bûcher en fosse (Tombe
4) pendant une longue période, la zone proche des tombes
entourées de fossés a été utilisée jusqu’à la fin du 2è siècle,
les nouvelles sépultures s’orientant par rapport à celles-ci.
Dans la partie sud-ouest du site, les structures funéraires
présentent une stratigraphie horizontale, les tombes les
plus récentes s’installant au fur et à mesure vers le nord.
Un changement est survenu au cours du 3è siècle ; à partir
de ce moment là, les tombes de l’Antiquité tardive ont été
placées le long de la bordure sud de la zone fouillée�
Les monnaies et les lampes à huile trouvées dans les tombes
de l’horizon le plus ancien indiquent une «romanisation» et
des aspects méditerranéens dans les pratiques funéraires�
Les graffito (Tombe 4: Figs. 12-13, 67-69, 71 et 80)
témoignent de la connaissance et de l’usage quotidien de
l’écriture en latin. A Savaria et ses environs, la sigillée du
Nord de l’Italie est connue dans des tombes en lien avec
l’élite boïenne – ce qui n’est pas le cas ici – ainsi que de
vétérans et de communautés d’immigrants.499 La céramique
sigillée et à paroi fine ne témoigne pas seulement de la
richesse matérielle de la communauté, mais elle apporte
aussi des éclaircissements sur l’utilisation des différents
499
Tous ces points mettent en évidence que la nécropole a
formé une unité continue du Haut-Empire à l’Antiquité
tardive. C’est probablement des tombes d’une partie de
cette dernière phase qui peuvent être localisées plus au
Sud en dehors du tracé de l’autoroute. Le relativement
grand nombre de tombes et la distribution des sexes et des
âges indiquent que cette nécropole a été utilisée de façon
constante par le domaine de la villa�
500
Sur le rôle joué par les immigrants du Nord de l’Italie parmi les
populations de Savaria et de son ‘territorium’, voir Mócsy 1959, 37-38.
501
Des immigrants du Sud de la Gaule sont connus sur le ‘territorium’ de
Savaria: Mócsy 1959, Nr. 32. et peut-être Nr. 90 /15.
Gabler 1973, 25-26; Márton 2008, 136-140, Fig. 1.a-b.
81
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
D’après les analyses anthropologiques conduites par Gábor
Tóth (Chapitre 8), les résultats pour les inhumations (en
raison de leur petit nombre, de la distribution des âges et
de la mauvaise préservation des ossements) sont purement
informatifs et insuffisants pour faire des comparaisons par
rapport à la population� La taille de trois individus masculins
a pu être estimée (160,1 cm, 180,8 cm, 174,4 cm). Deux
de ces valeurs excèdent de façon significative les valeurs
pour les Transdanubiens occidentaux, qui surpassent
celles des populations Danubiennes orientales de plusieurs
centimètres� La taxonomie de ces deux hommes présente
des caractéristiques du type Cro-Magnon.
Les restes animaux qui ont pu être identifiés avec certitude
comme des offrandes alimentaires ont été trouvés dans
seulement six sépultures (Tombes 4, 5, 6, 15, 22, 24;
total 15 %). Contrairement à la composition du matériel
archéozoologique de l’habitat probablement en connexion
avec la nécropole (41 % des restes d’ossements animaux
de l’habitat proviennent du bœuf), la poule domestique
et le porc étaient les animaux les plus fréquemment
choisis comme offrandes alimentaires� La poule, la tête
et les pattes coupées, était peut-être brûlée sur le bûcher
moins longtemps� Toutefois, en raison du faible nombre
d’occurrences (Tombes 4, 15, 22 et 24), on ne sait pas
si cette méthode était couramment utilisée� Des restes
d’ovins / caprins ont été identifiés seulement dans une
tombe (Tombe 6).
Le taux de mortalité infantile, après les corrections
nécessaires (par l’application de modèles paléodémographiques), peut être estimé à plus de 30 %. La
durée de vie estimée à la naissance était de 17,4 ans� A
l’âge de 20 ans, une durée de vie supplémentaire pouvait
être évaluée à 10,9 ans� Des estimations faites à partir de
modèles paléo-démographiques502 indiquent qu’après le
taux élevé de mortalité infantile, caractéristique de cet âge,
le pic du taux de mortalité à l’âge adulte se situe entre 20
et 30 ans (sur la base du fort taux de mortalité des femmes,
en raison des décès durant l’enfantement et des infections
puerpérales). La diminution graduelle du taux de mortalité
est suivie d’une autre légère hausse autour de 35-40 ans.
Ceci est dû au pic de mortalité des hommes qui apparaît
dans ce groupe d’âge.
502
Dans le cas des deux espèces d’ongulés, on observe que
les parties de l’épaule, des côtes, des jambes (antérieures)
et le jarret avant ont été tantôt brûlées sur le bûcher, ou
tantôt placées dans la tombe comme offrandes secondaires.
Néanmoins, alors que dans le cas des ovins / caprins, les
restes osseux permettent de savoir que des ‘morceaux
de viande’ provenant de plusieurs spécimens ont pu être
déposés dans les tombes, concernant les restes de porc,
différents quartiers d’un même spécimen (ensemble ou
séparément) ont été sacrifiés.
Bernert 2005�
82
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Abbreviations
ActaArchHung
AntKözl
ArchKorrBlatt
ArchÉrt
BudRég
ComArchHung
DissPann
RLÖ
Acta Archaeologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae
Anthropologiai Közlemények
Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt
Archaeológiai Értesítő
Budapest Régiségei
Communicationes Archaeologicae Hungariae
Dissertationes Pannonicae ex Instituto Numismatico et Archaeologico Universitatis de Petro
Pázmány Nominatae Budapestinensis Provenientes
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Tóth, G. 2004. A Járdányi Paulovics István Romkertből
származó római kori gyermekcsontváz. (Kinderskelett
aus der Römerzeit / Ruinengarten Járdányi Paulovics
István, Szombathely / ). Savaria, 28, 335-336.
Tóth, G. 2005 [2006]. Zanat II. Az embertani anyag
vizsgálatának eredményei (Zanat II� Ergebnisse der
anthropologischen Untersuchung). Savaria, 29, 62-63.
Tóth, G. 2011a. Über was uns Knochen erzählen – Kennen
zir die prähistorischen Menschen? In: Farkas, Cs.
Hrg� Zeitschencke. Neue Forschungsergebnisse zur
Vorgeschichte vom Komitat Vas. Katalog Prähistorie
Band, 3, Szombathely, 221-223.
Tóth, G� 2011b� The anthropological material and evaluation
of the cemetery. In: Kvassay, J. ed. The Late Urnfield
Period cemetery from Szombathely – Zanat supplemented
by an assessment of Prehistoric and Medieval settlement
features. VIA – Monographia Minor in Cultural Heritage,
2, Budapest, 187-196.
Tóth, G. – Buda, B. 2004. Klippel – Feil-szindróma Savaria
római kori embertani anyagában. (Klippel-Feil syndrom
in the Roman Age anthropologic material of Savaria.)
A Berzsenyi Dániel Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei
XIV. Természettudományok, 9, 37-42.
Tóth, G. – Kiss, P. 2008. Sebészi trepanáció Sárvár
(Vas megye) római kori temetőjéből. (Chirurgische
Trepanation aus dem Friedhof der Römerzeit in Sárvár
[Komitat Vas].) Folia Anthropologica, 7, 63-64.
Tóth, G. – Mátyás, K. K. – Buda, B. 2006. A szombathelyi
Isis-szentélyben feltárt emberi csontmaradványok
vizsgálatának előzetes eredményei. (Die Vorergebnisse
der an den im Isis-Heiligtum von Szombathely
freigelegten mensclichen Knochenresten durchgeführten
90
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91
Illustration credits
Field photographs
Ferenc Halász: Figs. 4, 7-10, 21, 25, 27-30, 35-36, 38-41, 43-45, 48, 53-55, 58-59, 63, 65-66.
Hajnalka Hekli: Figs. 18, 22, 33, 37, 39, 42, 46-47, 60.
Eszter Móricz: Figs. 18, 47, 57, 60, 63, 64.
Ákos Pénzes: Figs. 103, 105.
Aerial photography – Gábor Rákóczi (Aero Art): Fig. 2.
Excavation drawings
Áron Földi, Hajnalka Hekli, Zoltán Kovács, Eszter Móricz, Ákos Pénzes, Tibor Takács (after the plans made by the
Geomontán Kft), Gábor Vámos: Figs. 4, 7-9, 18, 21-22, 25, 27-30, 33, 35-48, 53-60, 63-66.
Objet photos
Ceramic, metal, glass and bone objets – Tibor Takács: Figs. 67-94.
Microscope photos – Zsuzsanna Tóth (ELTE): Figs. 94.2, 4a-b.
Photos during restauration – Krisztina Katalin Kiss (Archeolore Kft): Fig. 90.2.
Object drawings
András Radics: Figs. 5-8, 11-17, 19-21, 23-66.
Maps
István Eke (after the land-surveying made by the Geomontán Kft.): Figs. 1, 3.
92
Figures
86
Nemesbőd
Vép
6
5
0
1
2
3
4
100m
Fig. 1 The location of the site and the excavated part of the site in the future road line
Legend: 1. Contemporary road system; 2. Expropriation area of the new line of Main road 86; 3. Area of the archaeological excavation; 4.
Roman features; 5. Roman cemetery; 6. Roman settlement
Fig. 2 Aerial photos of the site
93
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Fig. 3 Excavated part of the Roman cemetery at Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő
Key: 1. Primary cremations; 2. Secondary cremations; 3. Inhumation; 4. Feature not identifiable as burial
94
Figures
Key
Legend
Pottery
Bronze
Pottery
Iron
Pottery
Glass
Pottery
Bone
Tegula
Calcined bones
Burnt layer/burnt clay
Animal bone
Charcoal
The different shades and ill symbols indicate object made of the same or similar material
distinguishable at the time of the excavation.
95
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
3/b
1/b
1/a
4
A
B
5
2/b
2/a
3/a
5
6
5
A
B
5
A
B
0
1m
1
2
Fig. 4 Grave 1: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos of its patch and stages of its excavation
96
Figures
1
2
3
4
5
Fig. 5 Grave 1: 1. lid; 2. small storage vase; 3. jar; 4. jug; 5. deep bowl (caccabus); 6. jug
97
6
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Fig. 6 Grave 1: ‘lamp house’
98
Figures
C
1
A
B
3
2
D
A
B
C
D
2
1
1
1
0
1m
3
4
5
Fig. 7 Grave 2: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. small storage vase; 4. jug; 5. knife
Key: 1. Yellowish brown mixed fill
99
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A
B
4
1
2
3
A
B
4
1
D
A
B
C
A
B
C
D
2
1
1
2
1m
0
1
4
3
6
5
Fig. 8 Grave 3: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3. small storage vase; 4. jar; 5. jug; 6. plate
Key: 1. Yellowish brown mixed fill
100
Figures
32
9
8
22
7
1
30
3
27
11
2 34
4
38 29
31
18
33
10
37 35
17 5
15
A
26
28
21
19
6
20
B
16
14
13
34
25
24
23
12
13
A
B
5
5
2
2
3
1
4
1m
0
1
2
Fig. 9 Grave 4: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation
Key: 1. Compact, burnt red layer; 2. Loose layer with charcoal; 3. Layer containing calcined bones and charcoal; 4. Yellow layer with gravel;
5. Clay with loess
101
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Fig. 10 Grave 4: Photos during excavation and details
102
Figures
1
2
3
Fig. 11 Grave 4: 1-3. Samian plates (Cats. 3, 2, 1) and their applied decoration and potter’s stamps (applied decoration and potter’s stamps in
full scale)
103
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
Fig. 12 Grave 4: 1-3. Samian plates (Cats. 3, 2, 1) and their graffiti (full scale)
104
Figures
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Fig. 13 Grave 4: 1-3. Samian bowls (Cats. 5, 4, 6) and their graffiti; 4. bowl (Cat. 7) and its graffiti; 5. thin-walled cup (Cat. 9); 6. bowl (Cat. 8);
7. lamp (Cat. 10) (graffiti and potter’s mark in full scale)
105
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
2
3
1
5
4
6
7
8
Fig. 14 Grave 4: 1. jar 8 (Cat. 17); 2. lid (Cat. 28); 3. jar (Cat. 18); 4. small storage vase (Cat. 20); 5. jar (Cat. 19);
6-8. small storage vases (Cats. 23, 24, 22)
106
Figures
2
1
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Fig. 15 Grave 4: 1-3. jugs (Cats. 12, 11, 13); 4-9. glass balsamaria (Cats. 35, 32, 34, 33, 36, 37)
107
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1a
1b
2a
2b
Fig. 16 Grave 4: 1a. bronze amphora; 1b. the reconstruction of the amphora (not to scale); 2a. bronze bucket handle;
2b. the reconstruction of the bucket (Cats. 40-41)
108
Figures
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
9
10
11
7
12
13
14
15
16
17
BMC II.
Nr. 203
19
18
Fig. 17 Grave 4: 1-11. iron nails (Cats. 50, 51, 53, 52, 49, 54, 59, 55, 57, 56, 58); 12-13. iron clasps / strap-holders (Cats. 47-48); 14-15. bronze
rings (Cats. 42-43); 16-17. bronze objects (Cats. 60, 46); 18. coin (Cat. 44); 19. iron knife (Cat.45)
109
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A
B
25 4
A
3
1
5
B
2
24
23
D
8
7
A
9 10 11 12
22
13
21
14
20
15
19
18 17 16
6
1
B
C
A
B
0
1m
1
2
Fig. 18 Grave 5: 1. drawings: patch, during excavation, plan and section; 2. photos: patch, during excavation and details
110
Figures
1
4
2
3
5
Fig. 19 Grave 5: 1. thin-walled cup and its decoration (in full scale); 2. small storage vase; 3. samian plate; 4-5. glass balsamaria (Cats. 2, 3, 1
and 28)
111
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Fig. 20 Grave 5: 1-20. glass beads; 21. bone bead (Cats. 4-9, 14-27 and 40)
112
Figures
5
2
1
4
3
6
8
7
A
B
C
9
10
D
1
1
A
B
C
D
1
1
1m
0
11
12
14
13
15
Fig. 21 Grave 5: 1-9. iron nails; 10. bronze fingerring with gemma (Cats. 31-33, 36, 34, 37-39, 30); Enclosure ditch 99 /110: 11. drawing of the
section; 13. photo during excavation; 14. jar; 15. beaker(?) (Cats. 2-3); Enclosure ditches 99 /110 and 101 /113: 12.
photo of the intersection Key: 1. Dark brown, compact fill
113
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A
B
A
B
1
3
3
3
2
A
B
3
1
A
B
0
1m
1
2
Fig. 22 Grave 6: 1. drawings: patch, plan and section; 2. photos during excavation and details
114
Figures
2
1
4
5
3
6
7
8
9
10
Fig. 23 Grave 6: 1. jar; 2. small storage vase; 3. jar; 4. glass balsamarium; 5. bronze ring; 6-10. iron nails (Cats. 4, 7, 3, 8-12)
115
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
Fig. 24 Grave 6: 1. Samian plate and its applied decoration (full scale); 2. bowl (Cats. 1 and 6)
116
Figures
A
B
C
D
1
1
E
F
1
0
1m
2
1
3
4
5
Fig. 25 Enclosure ditch 101 /113: 1. drawing of the section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. jar; 4. jug; 5. jar (Cats. 6, 5 and 10)
Key: 1. Dark brown, compact fill
117
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
Fig. 26 Enclosure ditch 101 /113: 1. Samian cup; 2-3. Samian plate and its applied decoration
(applied decoration and potter’s stamp in full scale) (Cats. 2-4, 1)
118
Figures
Figures
A
2
B
1
A
B
2
1m
0
1
3
4
5
Fig. 27 Grave 7: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. iron nail; 4. jug; 5. plate (Cats. 4, 1 and 2)
119
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
2
A
B
3
1
A
B
2
1
1m
0
4
3
5
Fig. 28 Grave 8: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. bone pyxis; 4. glass balsamarium; 5. fibula (Cats. 5, 3 and 4)
120
Figures
A
B
1
A
B
50cm
0
1
2
3
4
Fig. 29 Grave 9: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3-4. jars (Cats. 3-4)
121
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
A
B
2
3
9
10
7
1
A
B
2
12
4
8
6
11
3
5
A
B
2
0
1m
1
3
Fig. 30 Grave 10: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3. lamp (Cat. 1)
122
Figures
1
2
3
5
4
6
Fig. 31 Grave 10: 1-2. jars; 3. plate; 4. small storage vase; 5-6. glass balsamaria (Cats. 2-7)
123
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
4
3
5
6
1st century
7
Fig. 32 Grave 10: 1-6. iron instruments; 7. iron knife; 8. coin (Cats. 11, 13-14, 10, 15, 12, 9 and 8)
124
8
Figures
A
B
1
A
B
2
1
3
A
B
4
2
A
0
B
3
1m
1
Fig. 33 Grave 11: 1. drawings: patch, plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3. fibula / belt clasp (Cat. 6)
125
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
2
1
3
4
5
Fig. 34 Grave 11: 1. jar; 2. bowl; 3. plate; 4. lamp and its potter’s mark (in full scale); 5. iron knife (Cats. 2, 4, 5, 1 and 7)
126
Figures
A
B
A
B
2
3
0
50cm
4
1
A
B
A
B
6
A
B
7
0
50cm
5
Fig. 35 Grave 12: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3-4. iron nails (Cat. 1); Grave 13: 5. drawings: patch, plan and
section; 6. photo during excavation; 7. glass bead (Cat. 1)
127
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A
B
A
B
2
1m
0
1
2
1
A
B
A
3
B
0
50cm
4
6
7
5
Fig. 36 Grave 14: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. jar; Grave 15: 4. drawings: plan and section; 5. photo during
excavation; 6. plate; 7. iron knife (Cats. 2-3)
128
Figures
A
B
A
B
2
0
1m
1
3
4
5
Fig. 37 Grave 16: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3. lid; 4. jar; 5. iron nail (Cats. 4, 2 and 5)
129
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A
B
1
A
2
B
3
4
5
A
B
1m
0
1
2
3
5
4
6
7
Fig. 38 Grave 17: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3-6. iron nails; 7. lamp and its potter’s mark (full scale) (Cats.
6-7, 4-5, 1)
130
Figures
A
B
A
B
A
B
0
1m
1
A
B
A
B
0
2
1m
3
5
4
Fig. 39 Grave 18: drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; Grave 21: 3. drawings: plan and section; 4. photo during
excavation; 5. small storage vase
131
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A
B
A
B
A
B
2
0
50cm
1
3
Fig. 40 Grave 19: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3. small storage vase (Cat. 2)
132
Figures
A
B
A
B
1
A
B
2
0
1m
1
3
Fig. 41 Grave 20: 1. drawings: patch, plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3. fibula
133
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A
B
1
A
B
2
50cm
0
1
4
5
3
6
7
8
Fig. 42 Grave 22: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. jar; 4. beaker; 5. mug; 6. iron nail; 7. iron object; 8. lamp and
its potter’s mark (full scale) (Cats. 2, 5, 3, 10, 9 and 1)
134
Figures
2
A
B
1
C
D
1
2
A
B
0
1m
1
2
3
4
Fig. 43 Grave 23: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3. jar; 4. small storage vase
Key: 1. Dark brown, compact fill; 2. Black, loose fill
135
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A
B
5
4
1
2
3
A
B
2
1
A
B
1m
0
1
4
3
6
5
7
8
9
Fig. 44 Grave 24: 1. drawings: patch, plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. jug; 4. small storage vase; 5. small bowl; 6. bronze nail;
7. bronze ring; 8. lamp; 9. jar (Cats. 4, 5, 3, 7, 6, 1 and 2)
136
Figures
2
A
B
1
2
A
0
B
2
50cm
1
3
4
5
Fig. 45 Grave 25: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3. jar; 4. plate; 5. beaker (Cats. 1, 4-5)
137
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
2
A
2
B
1
3
A
B
50cm
0
1
4
BMC I.
Nr. 161-167
5
6
7
Fig. 46 Grave 26: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. lid; 4. jar; 5. thin-walled cup; 6. coin; 7. glass balsamarium
(Cats. 7, 5, 1, 9 and 8)
138
Figures
A
B
1
A
B
1
A
B
50cm
0
1
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
5
Fig. 47 Grave 27: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3. plate; 4. plate; 5-6. jars; 7-9. iron nails
(Cats. 4, 5, 1, 3 and 6-8)
139
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
2
8
14
7
15
13
A
5
3
B
4
11 12
1
9
10
6
A
B
0
1m
1
2
3
4
5
Fig. 48 Grave 28: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3. lid; 4-5. jars (Cats. 10, 4 and 3)
140
Figures
1
2
3
5
4
6
7
8
Fig. 49 Grave 28: 1-2. lids; 3. jar; 4. jug; 5. plate; 6. small bowl; 7. beaker; 8. lamp and its potter’s mark (full scale)
(Cats. 12, 11, 5, 2, 6-7, 9 and 1)
141
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
3
2
4
5
6
Fig. 50 Grave 28: 1-2. buttons; 3. belt buckle; 4. mount; 5. strap end; 6. ring (Cats. 27-28, 25, 24, 31 and 23)
142
Figures
1
4
2
6
5
3
8
7
9
10
11
12
Fig. 51 Grave 28: 1. bone object; 2. golden pin head; 3. bronze pin; 4. bronze wire; 5. fibula; 6. golden foil; 7. glass bottle; 8. glass balsamaria;
9-12. glass beads (Cats. 45, 30, 32, 26, 22, 13-14, 16 and 19-21)
143
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
4
3
5
6
9
7
8
10
11
12
14
13
Fig. 52 Grave 28: 1-13. iron objects; 14. iron knife (Cats. 35, 33, 38, 44, 39, 36, 43, 45, 42, 40, 37, 34 and 41)
144
Figures
A
B
A
B
0
2
50cm
1
3
Fig. 53 Grave 29: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. jar (Cat. 1)
145
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A
B
A
B
1m
0
1
A
B
A
B
1
0
3
2
1m
2
4
Fig. 54 Grave 30: 1. drawings: plan and section; Grave 31: 2. drawings: plan and section; 3. photo during excavation; 4. jar
Key: 1. Dark brown fill containing charcoal; 2. Burnt bone
146
Figures
A
B
3
A
B
A
B
1m
0
A
2
1
B
1
A
B
1
C
D
1
E
F
1
A
B
1
0
1m
4
5
Fig. 55 ‘Grave’(?) 32: 1. drawings of patch, plan and section; 3. iron nail; Enclosure ditch 98 /108: 2. photo during excavation; 4. drawing of
the section; Enclosure ditches 99 /110, 101 /113 and 98 /108: 5. photo during excavation
Key: 1. Dark brown, compact fill
147
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
4
?
5
Fig. 56 Enclosure ditch 98 /108: 1. lid; 2. small bowl; 3. bowl; 4. jar; 5. coin (Cats. 7, 6, 5, 3 and 9)
148
Figures
A
B
A
B
2
1m
0
1
3
4
3a
Fig. 57 ‘Grave’(?) 33: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3-3a. Samian plate and its applied decoration; 4. Samian cup
and its potter’s stamp (Cats. 2, 1)
149
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A
B
2
A
B
3
0
50cm
1
4
5
Fig. 58 ‘Grave’(?) 34: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. jar; 4. beaker; 5. plate (Cats. 3, 2 and 1)
150
Figures
A
B
A
B
0
1m
2
1
3
A
B
A
B
5
0
1m
4
Fig. 59 ‘Grave’(?) 35: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. jug; Grave 36: 4. drawings: plan and section; 5. iron nail
151
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
2
3
4
9
B
A
6
7
5
1
8
2
B
A
0
1m
1
3
4
Fig. 60 Grave 37: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos: patch and during excavation; 3. large storage vase; 4. small storage vase (Cats. 5
and 9)
152
Figures
1
3
2
4
5
Fig. 61 Grave 37: 1. lock mechanism; 2. iron handle; 3. iron key; 4-5. iron hinges (Cats. 19, 17, 18 and 15-16)
153
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
15
16
17
18
19
4
5
6
7
20
21
22
23
24
25
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Fig. 62 Grave 37: 1-3. box fittings (Cats. 23 and 14); 4. iron loop with spirally twisted silver wire; 5-14. silver rings (Cat. 11);
15. bronze ring (Cat. 12); 16-24. iron nails Cats. 20-22); 25. bronze rivet (Cat. 13)
154
Figures
A
B
3
2
1
4
A
B
3
1
2
A
B
1m
0
1
4
2
3
5
6
7
Fig. 63 Grave 38: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation; 3. jug; 4. bowl; 5. mug; 6. beaker; 7. fibula (Cats. 1, 4, 3, 2 and 7)
155
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A
B
1
A
B
0
1m
1
2
3
Fig. 64 Grave 39: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. jar (Cat. 1)
156
Figures
2
A
B
1
3
A
B
0
1m
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Fig. 65 Grave 40: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photo during excavation; 3. glass beaker; 4. fibula; 5. lid; 6. iron knife; 7. jar (Cats. 4, 5, 3, 6
and 1)
157
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
A
B
1
2
A
B
1
A
B
0
1m
1
2
3
4
Fig. 66 Grave 41: 1. drawings: plan and section; 2. photos during excavation and details; 3. mug; 4. small bowl (Cats. 3-4)
158
Figures
Fig. 67 Grave 4: Samian plate and its applied decoration, potter’s stamp and graffiti (applied decoration, potter’s stamp in full scale; Cat. 1)
159
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Fig. 68 Grave 4: Samian plate and its applied decoration, potter’s stamp and graffiti (applied decoration, potter’s stamp in full scale; Cat. 2)
160
Figures
Fig. 69 Grave 4: Samian plate and its applied decoration, potter’s stamp and graffiti (applied decoration, potter’s stamp in full scale; Cat. 3)
161
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Fig. 70 Grave 6: Samian plate and its applied decoration (full scale; Cat. 1)
162
Figures
1
2
4
3
5
6
Fig. 71 Samian bowls and their graffiti (Grave 4: 1-2. Cat. 5; 3-4. Cat. 4; 5-6. Cat. 6)
163
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
4
5
6
Fig. 72 Samian plates and cups: 1, 3-4. Enclosure ditch 101 /113 (Cats. 1-3); 2. Grave 5 (Cat. 1); 5-6. ‘Grave’(?) 33 (Cats. 2, 1)
164
Figures
1
2
3
Fig. 73 Thin-walled cups: 1. Grave 5 (Cat. 2); 2. Grave 26 (Cat. 1); 3. Grave 4 (Cat. 9)
165
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
4
5
Fig. 74 Jars: 1, 3. Grave 28 (Cats. 4, 3); 2. Grave 22 (Cat. 2); 4. Grave 26 (Cat. 5); 5. Grave 27 (Cat. 1)
166
Figures
1
2
3
4
5
6
Fig. 75 Jars: 1. Grave 14 (Cat. 1); 2. Grave 29 (Cat. 1); 3. Grave 39 (Cat. 1); 4. Grave 10 (Cat. 3); 5-6. Grave 4 (Cats. 18-19)
167
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
4
5
6
Fig. 76 Jars and lids: 1. Grave 6 (Cat. 4); 2. Grave 1 (Cat. 3); 3, 6. Grave 4 (Cats. 17, 28); 4. Grave 10 (Cat. 2); 5. Grave 28 (Cat. 10)
168
Figures
1
4
2
3
5
6
7
8
9
Fig. 77 Small storage vases: 1. Grave 6 (Cat. 7); 2. Grave 10 (Cat. 5); 3. Grave 2 (Cat. 4); 4-6. Grave 4 (Cats. 23, 24, 22); 7. Grave 1 (Cat. 5);
8. Grave 38 (Cat. 3); 9. Grave 37 (Cat. 9)
169
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
4
5
Fig. 78 Beakers, small storage vessel and mug: 1. Grave 38 (Cat. 2); 2. Grave 3 (Cat. 5); 3, 5. Grave 22 (Cats. 4-5); 4. Grave 41 (Cat. 4)
170
Figures
1
2
3
4
6
6
5
7
Fig. 79 Jugs: 1. Grave 2 (Cat. 1); 2. Grave 3 (Cat. 1); 3. Grave 38 (Cat. 1); 4-5, 7. Grave 4 (Cats. 11-12, 13); 6. Grave 28 (Cat. 2)
171
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
8a
Fig. 80 Plates and bowls: 1. Grave 1 (Cat. 4); 2. Grave 11 (Cat. 4); 3. Grave 3 (Cat. 4); 4. Grave 15 (Cat. 2); 5. Grave 7 (Cat. 2); 6. Grave 6 (Cat. 6);
7-8, 8a Grave 4 (Cats. 8, 7: small bowl and its graffiti in full scale); 9. Grave 41 (Cat. 3)
172
Figures
1
2
3
Fig.81 Lamps and their potter’s mark: 1. Grave 11 (Cat. 1); 2. Grave 28 (Cat. 1); 3. Grave 17 (Cat. 1)
173
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
4
Fig. 82 Lamps and their potter’s mark: 1. Grave 4 (Cat. 10); 2. Grave 22 (Cat. 1); 3. Grave 24 (Cat. 1); 4. Grave 10 (Cat. 1)
174
Figures
Fig. 83 ‘Lamp house’: Grave 1
175
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
5
4
6
Fig. 84 Fibulae and fibula / belt cup: 1. Grave 38 (Cat. 7); 2. Grave 8 (Cat. 8); 3. Grave 40 (Cat. 5); 4. Grave 20 (Cat. 2); 5. Grave 11 (Cat. 6);
6. Grave 28 (Cat. 26)
176
Figures
3
2
1
4
5
6
Fig. 85 Belt fittings: 1. belt buckle; 2. strap end; 3. fitting; 4-5 buttons; 6. iron loop with silver rings (1-5. Grave 28, Cats. 25, 31, 24, 28 and
27; 6. Grave 37, Cat. 11)
177
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
5
1
3
2
4
Fig. 86 Coins and golden artefacts: 1-2. coins; 3. golden foil; 4-5. bronze pin with golden head (1. Grave 4, Cat. 44; 2. Grave 26, Cat 9;
3-5. Grave 28, Cats. 22, 30)
178
Figures
2
1
3
9
6
4
5
7
8
Fig. 87 Glass and bone beads, rings: 1-2, 4-7. glass beads; 3. bone bead; 8. ring with gemma; 9-10. bronze rings
(1-3, 8. Grave 5, Cats. 4-9, 14-27, 40 and 30; 4-7 Grave 28, Cats. 20-21, 16 and 19; 9-10. Grave 4, Cats. 42-43)
179
10
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
Fig. 88 1. bronze amphora; 2. bucket handle (Grave 4, Cats. 40-41)
180
Figures
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Fig. 89 Iron knives: 1. Grave 11 (Cat. 7); 2. Grave 15 (Cat. 3); 3. Grave 2 (Cat. 5); 4. Grave 10 (Cat. 9); 5. Grave 28 (Cat. 41); 6. Grave 40 (Cat. 6);
7. Grave 4 (Cat. 45)
181
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
Fig.90 Box parts: 1. lock mechanism; 2. lock mechanism before conservation; 3. iron key (Grave 37, Cats. 17, 19, 18)
182
Figures
1
2
3
4
Fig. 91 Box parts: 1-2. fittings; 3-4. hinges (Grave 37, Cats. 14, 23, 16, 15)
183
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
4
9
5
6
7
8
Fig. 92 Glass balsamaria: 1. Grave 6 (Cat. 8); 2-3. Grave 10 (Cat. 6-7); 4. Grave 26 (Cat. 8); 5-9. Grave 4 (Cats. 35, 32, 34, 33, 36)
184
Figures
1
2
4
3
Fig. 93 Glass vessels: 1. glass baker in situ; 2. glass baker; 3. glass bottle; 4. glass bottle and belt buckle in situ (1-2. Grave 40, Cat. 4;
3-4. Grave 28, Cats. 13 and 25)
185
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
1
2
3
4a
4b
Fig. 94 Bone objects: 1. carved bone object; 2. microscope photo of the object; 3. bone pyxis; 4a-4b. microscope photo of the pyxis
(1-2. Grave 28, Cat. 46; 3-4b. Grave 8, Cat. 5)
186
Figures
Inv� no�
Feature
type
Height
(cm)
Description
Width
(cm)
Diameter
(cm)
Feature
SU
48.38574.0003.001
29
3
Ditch
Rim fragment of a plate� Glued from several fragments�
3
5�6
cca� 20
48.38574.0003.002
29
3
Ditch
Base of a cup (Drag. 33) and the start of the foot and the
wall. Inside in a circle: Sedati ° m (in tabula ansata).
1�5
5�5
Foot: 5.3
48.38574.0003.003
29
3
Ditch
Wall fragment of a plate from the outside of the beginning
of the foot� Inside rouletted pattern�
5�6 max�
4�7
max�
48.38574.0003.004
29
3
Ditch
Two unjoining fragments of a cup: from the bottom with
leathered circle and from the wall�
1.8; 1.2
2.6; 2
48.38574.0003.005
29
3
Ditch
Rim fragment of a hemispherical cup with short vertical
rim and pronounced lange. Above the lange applied
decoration: right half of a double-spiral (length: 1.9 cm;
height: 1 cm).
2�4
3�3
48.38574.0007.019
4
7
Pit
Joining fragment to Inv. No. 48.38574.0003.001.
4�2
3�5
48.38574.0034.027
29
34
Pit
Small wall fragment of a relief decorated bowl�
1�3
1�1
48.38574.0037.015
32
37
Pit
Wall fragment of a relief decorated bowl� Ovolos,
demarcation line, frieze of leaves to left, dot line,
fragment of tendril or arcade pattern�
5�4
5�5
cca� 20
48.38574.0037.016
32
37
Pit
Rim and unjoining wall fragment�
3.8; 4.4
6.2; 3.7
cca. 18
48.38574.0037.017
32
37
Pit
Fragment of a goblet from the proiled part above the
ring-foot. The fragment is broken into two parts, only the
outer surface is preserved�
2�2
2�7
n /a
48.38574.0037.018
32
37
Pit
Wall fragment of a cup from the part above the rim with a
grooved line� The fragment is broken into two parts, only
the outer surface is preserved�
2�5
2�6
n /a
48.38574.0045.136
40
45
Pit
Rim fragment of small bowl with outward curving rim�
3�2
3�3
cca� 19
48.38574.0045.137
40
45
Pit
Small wall fragment�
1�7
1
48.38574.0045.138
40
45
Pit
Rim and wall fragment of a plate�
8.1
7�5
cca� 20
48.38574.0045.139
40
45
Pit
Wall fragment of a cup�
5�6
7.8
cca� 13�5
48.38574.0045.140
40
45
Pit
Rim and wall fragment of a plate�
4�5
5�6
cca. 18
48.38574.0046.001
41
46
Pit
Rim fragment of a cup�
1.8
3�2
cca� 10
48.38574.0046.002
41
46
Pit
Rim fragment of a small bowl with outward curving rim�
1�5
1.8
n /a
48.38574.0052.001
46
52
Pit
Fragment of the bottom of a plate, with a part of the foot
and the wall�
2�2
13
Foot: 11
48.38574.0080.045
73
80
Ditch
Wall fragment of a relief decorated bowl: fragment of the
wing of Victory to left�
3�4
2�4
48.38574.0080.046
73
80
Ditch
Fragment of a cup�
1�7
2�3
48.38574.0080.047
73
80
Ditch
Small Samian fragment�
1�3
2�2
1�1
2�1
0�9
2�7
48.38574.0101.016
92
101
Pit
Rim fragment of a small bowl with outward curving rim
decorated with barbotine leaves�
48.38574.0225.001
207
225
Pit
Rim fragment of a relief decorated bowl (?).
Fig. 95 Samian Ware from the territory of the cemetery excluding the finds from the graves
187
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Inv. no.
Clay
48.38574.0003.001
Salmon colour with a lot of
particles of chalk�
48.38574.0003.002
Light brown, ired hard, with
Brownish-red, shiny.
very small particles of chalk�
Lezoux, by Sedatus iv; Die 2a, cf. Names 8, 190. Dating: 130-160. On
the distribution of the production of the potter in Pannonia see Gabler
– Márton 2009, No. 569, 277.
48.38574.0003.003
Light brown, ired hard, with Compact, slightly
very small particles of chalk� shiny red�
South Gaulish, La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 18R. Dating: 80-120.
48.38574.0003.004
Salmon colour with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Brownish-red, shiny.
South Gaulish, La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 27. Dating: FlavianTrajanic�
48.38574.0003.005
Salmon colour with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Very worn brownishred�
North Italian workshop in the Po Region� Based on the quality of the
material, it belongs to Fabric E. Form: Consp. 34. Dating: ClaudianFlavian period, more probably Flavian�
48.38574.0007.019
Salmon colour with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Light brown with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Shiny, compact red�
South Gaulish, La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 18. Dating: 80-120.
Shiny red�
South Gaulish, La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 37. Dating: FlavianTrajanic�
48.38574.0034.027
Glaze
Commentary
Compact, shiny red�
South Gaulish, La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 18. Dating: 80-120.
Late South Gaulish workshop� The mould used for the bowl was worn,
so the decoration is not clear�
48.38574.0037.015
Brownish-red, shiny.
48.38574.0037.016
Light brown with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Red shiny, shelling off�
North Italian workshop in the Po Region� Based on the quality of the
material, it belongs to Fabric D. Form: ?. The inner surface is very damaged.
48.38574.0037.017
Pale brown with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Brownish-red, shiny.
South Gaulish, probably from La Graufesenque. Form: Drag.
33. Dating: Flavian-Trajanic. No doubt from the vase of Inv. No.
48.38574.0037.018.
48.38574.0037.018
Light brown with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Brownish-red, shiny.
South Gaulish, probably from La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 33.
Dating: Flavian-Trajanic.
48.38574.0045.136
Light, yellowish-brown.
Brownish-red, worn,
slightly shiny�
North Italian workshop in the Po Region� Based on the quality of the
material, it belongs to Fabric E. Form: Consp. 44. The Consp. 44 form
bowl appeared in the Flavian period, in greater numbers under Domitian,
and remained very popular until the end of the reign of Trajan� Their
importation ended under Hadrianus or Antoninus Pius: Gabler 1990, 150.
48.38574.0045.137
Light brown, with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Brownish-red, very
worn�
South Gaulish. Form: undeterminable plain form. Dating: 80-120.
48.38574.0045.138
Brown, with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Shiny red, some part
worn, shelling off on
the inside�
South Gaulish, La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 18. Dating: Trajanic.
48.38574.0045.139
Brown, with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Shiny red�
South Gaulish, La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 27 (large version).
Dating: Trajanic.
48.38574.0045.140
Brown, with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Shiny red, some parts
worn, shelling off in
the inside�
South Gaulish, La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 18. Dating: Trajanic.
48.38574.0046.001
Pale salmon with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Brownish-red, with
some black particles�
South Gaulish, La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 27 (small version).
Dating: Trajanic.
48.38574.0046.002
Light brown�
Brownish-red, shiny.
Form: Plate (Consp. 20.4).
48.38574.0052.001
Soft, pale yellow�
Red, orange-red,
slightly shiny, at
some parts brownish�
North Italian workshop in the Po Region� Based on the quality of the
material, it belongs to Fabric E. Secondarily burnt. Form: Consp. 20.4.
Similar, perhaps identical mask is used by the LMV Group (SchindlerKaudelka et al. 2001, Abb. 51. 12). Dating: Claudian-Vespasian / Titus.
48.38574.0080.045
Salmon colour with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Brownish-red, shiny.
South Gaulish, probably from La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 37. The
igure of Victory to left was used by several potters: e.g. Mees 1995,
Taf� 120� 2,
Masclus, 185. 1, C. Cingius Senovir. Dating: 80-120
48.38574.0080.046
Salmon colour with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Brownish-red, shiny.
South Gaulish, probaby from La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 33.
Dating: Flavian-Trajanic, more probably Domitian-Trajanic.
48.38574.0080.047
Salmon colour with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Shiny red�
South Gaulish. Form: undeterminable. Secondarily burnt.
48.38574.0101.016
Salmon colour with a lot of
particles of chalk�
Red, shiny�
South Gaulish, probaby from La Graufesenque. Form: Drag. 35 / 36.
Dating: Flavian-Trajanic.
48.38574.0225.001
Light brown with some
particles of chalk�
Shiny red�
South Gaulish. Form: Drag. 37 (?). Dating: Flavian-Trajanic.
Fig. 96 Samian Ware from the territory of the cemetery excluding the finds from the graves
188
Figures
35
pcs
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
P S U R P S U R
Vessels for
cooking / storing
food
Vessels for
serving food
R
Mortarium
P S U R P S U R P S U R
P S U R P S U R P S U R
Small storage vessels Vessels for storing Vessels for serving
Vessels for
of liquids
and pouring liquids
consuming food
(handled forms)
Vessels for
consuming liquids
R
Lids
Unidenifiable
forms
P S U R
R
Lids
Unidenifiable
forms
10
pcs
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
P S U R P S U R
Vessels for
cooking / storing
food
Vessels for
serving food
R
Mortarium
P S U R P S U R
P S U R P S U R P S U R
Small storage vessels Vessels for storing Vessels for serving
Vessels for
of liquids
and pouring liquids
consuming food
(handled forms)
Vessels for
consuming liquids
Primary cremaions
Contemporary secondary cremaions
Fig. 97.1: Composition of the ceramic grave goods in the Early Roman burials. 97.2: Composition of the ceramic grave goods in the primary
and contemporary secondary cremations (4-4 graves)
Key: P: primary grave good; S: secondary grave good U: unknown (primary or secondary grave good); R: residual; Pcs: pieces (Compiled by András Márton)
189
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Feature type
pit
ditch
drainage ditch
rubble
posthole
Total:
Site 5
animal bone
SU (pcs)
(pcs)
15
3
18
SU
(pcs)
93
462
Site 6
animal bone
(pcs)
1
1
1
555
7
12
33
3
52
Site 7
animal bone
(pcs)
SU
(pcs)
12
11
217
319
1
1
25
67
1
604
Total
SU
(pcs)
animal bone (pcs)
28
15
1
1
1
46
317
793
33
67
1
1211
Fig 98 Composition of the animal bones according to feature types at
Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő (5) and Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő I – II (6-7) sites
Species
Cattle
Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758
NISP
%
411
40,85
Sheep
Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758
3
Goat
Capra hircus Linnaeus, 1758
1
Sheep and Goats
Caprinae
63
Pig
Sus domesticus Erxleben, 1777
41
4,08
Horse
Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758
213
21,17
Dog
Canis familiaris Linnaeus, 1758
247
24,55
Domestic animals
6,66
979
97,32
Roe deer
Capreolus capreolus Linnaeus, 1758
1
0,10
Wild boar
Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758
2
0,20
Carnivores
Carnivora
1
0,10
Rodents
Rodentia
5
0,50
Gastropods
Gastropoda
9
0,89
18
1,79
4
0,40
Equidae
4
0,40
Galliformes
1
0,10
1006
100,00
Wild animals
Bovinae
Total of identiied fragments (NISP)
Unidentiiable (large ungulate)
Indet. (Ungulata maior)
163
Unidentiiable (small ungulate)
Indet. (Ungulata minor)
21
Unidentiiable
Indeterminabile
21
Total fragments (n)
1211
Fig. 99 Animal remains according to species at the sites of
Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő and
Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő I – II
190
Figures
%
Sus
domesticus
%
Equus
caballus
%
Canis
familiaris
%
Total
%
0,00
Ovis
aries /
Capra
hircus
0
0,00
0
0,00
0
0,00
0
0,00
0
0,00
0,00
0
0,00
0
0,00
0
0,00
0
0,00
0
0,00
29
7,06
1
1,49
5
12,20
17
7,98
0
0,00
52
5,31
42
10,22
9
13,43
5
12,20
7
3,29
10
4,05
73
7,46
91
22,14
15
22,39
1
2,44
49
23,00
71
28,74
227
23,19
Bos
taurus
%
foetus
0
neonatus
0
juvenilis
subadultus
adultus
5
1,22
2
2,99
0
0,00
20
9,39
5
2,02
32
3,27
indet�
244
59,37
40
59,70
30
73,17
120
56,34
161
65,18
595
60,78
Total
411
100,00
67
100,00
41
100,00
213
100,00
247
100,00
979
100,00
maturus
Fig 100 Distribution of animal remains according to age at the sites Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő and Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő
I – II
Species
Skeletal
part
Greatest
length
GL (mm)
Proximal
width
BP (mm)
BP / GL*100
Sex
Withers height
WH (mm)
Feature
SU
Site
Bos taurus
metacarpus
201,0
63,1
31,39
bull
1272,33
0091.
0106�
7
Bos taurus
metacarpus
218,0
65,0
29,82
bullock
1347,24
0068.
0072�
7
Bos taurus
metacarpus
215,0
69,1
32,14
bull
1360,95
0092.
0107�
7
Bos taurus
metatarsus
252,0
52,4
20,79
cow
1519,56
0058.
0066�
7
Equus caballus
humerus
319,5
99,0
1597,50
0137.
0158.
7
Equus caballus
radius
373,0
81,1
1618,82
0137.
0158.
7
Equus caballus
metacarpus
207,0
44,4
1294,82
0136.
0157�
7
Equus caballus
metacarpus
210,8
1319,18
0092.
0101�
5
Equus caballus
metatarsus
283,0
1781,98
0013.
0017�
7
51,0
Fig 101 Long bone and withers height measurements of cattle and horse remains from the Roman features at
Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő (Site 5) and Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő II (Site 7)
191
Total
Equus caballus
Sus domesticus
Skeletal parts
(n = 708¹)
Caprinae
Bos taurus
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Best meat value (A) parts:
81
1
19
18
22
15
vertebrae
os sacrum
scapula
pelvis
humerus
femur
6
1
1
1
19
4
2
2
4
2
6
11
11
11
‘A’ total:
107
2
30
29
39
30
237 pcs
33,47 %
Medium meat value (B) parts:
neurocranium
7
3
2
5
17
mandibula
31
6
10
14
61
dens (inf.) ²
costa
sternum
radius
ulna
tibia
ibula
16
26
14
1
8
1
22
5
19
5
2
2
1
1
21
6
2
12
3
15
59
34
2
41
10
45
1
270 pcs
38,14 %
4
19
3
9
8
6
11
13
32
15
34
34
24
49
201 pcs
28,39 %
10
‘B’ total:
Low meat value (C) parts:
8
8
12
23
24
15
36
viscerocranium
dens (sup.) 3
os carpale
metacarpus
os tarsale
metatarsus
phalanges
‘C’ total:
Total:
4
2
1
3
2
1
1
1
708 pcs
100 %
No. of fragments suficient for classiication according to meat value
Indicator of mandible
3
Indicator of maxilla
1
2
Skeletal parts by meat value categories (Uerpmann1973)
‘A’ category:
best meat value
Vertebral column (except caudal vertebra), proximal limb segments, shoulder and pelvic
girdles
‘B’ category:
medium meat value
Middle elements of the limbs, brain skull, mandible (including tongue and masseter
muscle), ribs and breast-bone
‘C’ category:
low meat value
Facial bones, tail, foot (including tarsus joint)
Fig 102 Classification of the bone fragments of identified domestic ungulates according to meat value (based on Uerpmann 1973) from the
Roman features at the sites Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő and Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő I – II
192
Figures
1
2
Fig. 103 Horse graves at Nemesbőd – Csepregi-völgyre-dűlő II site: 1. Pit 136 /157; 2. Pit 137 /158
193
The Early and Late Roman Rural Cemetery at Nemesbőd (Vas County, Hungary)
Feature
type
Grave 4
Primary
cremation
Grave 22
Secondary
cremation
Proximal
breadth
(BP)
Proximal
depth
(DP)
adultus
3,7
3,6
sin�
adultus
3,7
3,7
sin�
adultus
ulna
metacarpus II-III.
dex�
dex�
adultus
adultus
73,0
33,0
ulna
sin�
adultus
51,5
Skeletal bone
Side
Age
radius
dex�
radius
ulna
Greatest
length
(GL)
9,0
6,6
Smallest
breadth
(SB)
Smallest
depth
(SD)
Distal
breadth
(BD)
Distal depth
(DD)
4,5
3,0
5,0
1,9
7,7
4,7
4,9
3,1
7,9
4,9
2,6
1,2
5,0
2,8
Fig 104 Bone measurements (mm) of the domestic hen (Gallus domesticus Linnaeus, 1758) remains from the Roman cemetery at
Nemesbőd – Általúton kívül-dűlő
194