Carnuntum Jahrbuch 2017

To date, the stone monuments from the province of Moesia inferior in general, and sculptures in particular, have been treated variably due to the state of research, as well as research priorities in this area. It goes without saying that a focus on epigraphy has been of primary importance, with very little attention being paid to analyzing the shape and material of the monuments. Yet, it is precisely from missing data – such as the origin or the context of a find – that information about the monument itself, its production, and the person who commissioned it, may come to light. This article introduces a selection of finds from Troesmis and its surroundings. It considers the types of stone used, the person(s) who commissioned production, and, in some cases, details relating to the findspot as well as associated finds. Thus, initial and/ or renewed insights into a comprehensive view of ancient sites and their hinterlands – and more specifically into the population and the cults they practiced – are possible. Moreover, a new find from Apulum will be presented as a case study; its assignment and interpretation further indicate the connections between the provinces of Moesia inferior and Dacia, as well as their links with Asia Minor.

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Among the cult buildings uncovered at the Pfaffenberg mountain sanctuary, Temple II (Groller “building S”) differs distinctly from the other two Jupiter temples (Temple I/Groller “building C” and Temple III) in its layout and large dimensions. The building was already associated with the worship of the Capitoline Triad by the ancient historian E. Bormann, and has been identified as the “Capitol”. During the most recent investigations, two building phases were identified: The evidence indicated that construction phase I was precisely designed as a Tuscan temple, according to the rules of Vitruvius. Thus, the masonry of the older construction phase revealed the rectangular layout of a building consisting of a cella, two rectangular wings, and four columns in the pronaos; this structure is dated to Hadrian’s time. During construction phase II, the building was expanded by the addition of a porticus and two ancillary rooms, while the Phase I building was converted into a spacious cella with platforms on either side. These changes probably occurred around 200 AD. The interpretation of this structure as a temple dedicated to an “oriental” or Near Eastern deity (such as Mithras, or Jupiter Dolichenus), however, could not be confirmed.

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Roman watchtowers were erected at strategic points along the frontiers of the Roman Empire. Various functions have been attributed to such towers. One of these functions was the transmission of messages or communications. These would have been relayed by optical signals. It is therefore assumed that sight-lines existed between watchtowers. This paper discusses the extent to which the existence of such visual relationships may have played a role in the location of watchtowers, on the basis of a landscape archaeology case study. The selected study area includes a section of the Lower Austrian “Danube Limes” near Mautern, where several burgi were discovered on the south bank of the Danube River, west of the fort at Favianis. Visual field evaluations based on a digital terrain model (DTM) spatially analyze the visual relationship between burgi, as well as between them and the fort, in a Geographic Information System (GIS).

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Over the course of four years (2012–2015) the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Prospection and Virtual Archeology (LBI ArchPro), in collaboration with the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) and on behalf of the provincial government of Lower Austria, has conducted the comprehensive, non-invasive archaeological prospection project entitled “ArchPro Carnuntum”. The purpose of this project has been to generate a basis for future archaeological research and the sustainable spatial planning and cultural heritage management in the area. By combining new information on buried archaeology using different aerial and ground-based archaeological prospection methods and a thorough archaeological interpretation of the combined data within the framework of a GIS environment, it was possible to document Carnuntum’s archaeological heritage, which is threatened by a dramatic increase in erosion and destruction through ploughing, infrastructure development and looting by treasure hunters. In total, an area covering eight square kilometres was explored at very high sampling resolution using magnetic prospection methods, while 2.5 square kilometres were mapped with ultra-high resolution ground-penetrating radar measurements. The results of the project and the spatio-temporal analysis and interpretation of the prospection data are presented here as a preliminary report.

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In this paper, a small number of thin-walled, white/ cream coloured plain-surface wares were examined in the context of “eggshell wares” from Spain. The vessels come from the civilian town of Carnuntum (House IV, and one vessel from House I), and from Siscia (St. Quirinus, in front of the north gate of the ancient city). They were typologically classified and chronologically assigned. Furthermore, mineralogical and petrographic data was collected (R. Sauer), and X-ray fluorescence analysis was performed (G. Schneider and M. Daszkiewicz). Although the pottery from both locations display similarities, they belong to two distinct groups with differing provenance. Because the comparison of X-ray data between an Hispanic vessel – but not of the Baetican production – with the two groups, the group from Carnuntum and the group from Siscia, didn’t match, and also because of chronologic, typological and some fabrics reasons, it seems that both groups aren’t of Hispanic origin. No provenance could be determined certainly, but the author tends to North Italian origin.

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In 2004, 2007 and 2008 fragments of snake vessels came to light during excavations in the civilian city of Carnuntum. In addition to the newly uncovered fragments of Houses III and IV and to some finds discovered during the construction of a barrack in 2004 some snake vessel fragments belonging to the state collections of the province of Lower Austria complement the material presentation. A reconstructible vessel from this collection of old finds was found in Mithraeum III outside the ancient city walls. Other snake vessel fragments were discovered during the excavation of the “Tiergarten”, in the vicinity of the temple for Silvanus and the Quadriviae, as well as in the area of the great bath complex/macellum. The evaluation of the aforementioned fragments provides a varied picture. However, with the exception of the Mithraeum III fragment, most of the pieces were likely used in a domestic shrine, or a semi-private sanctuary. In particular, when considered within the context of a cult space of a collegium, a connection with the worship of Sabazios and – as in the case of the fragment from the “Tiergarten” – Silvanus is conceivable. The vessels of House III and IV are likely connected to a domestic nymphaeum.

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In 2009, a grave stela – depicting an auxiliary soldier armed with a sword – was salvaged at the site of the Roman necropolis of Leithaprodersdorf (province of Burgenland). The featured stela was found reused, as part of a late Antique inhumation burial of the 4th century AD. Similar with most of the Leithaprodersdorfer stelae is the fact that this inscription indicates the deceased’s local ancestry. Despite his local lineage, the Roman influence is unmistakable due to the cloak (paenula) and weapon he wears, as well as his service in a Roman auxiliary unit. As a result of new additions to the CIL III Pannonia/Austria, this stela can be dated to the late 1st, or early 2nd century AD. A similar, but somewhat longer time-frame is attributed to this representation due to the proposed classification of the sword as a longsword (spatha) Straubing- Nydam type, “Newstead” style. Finds from the Pannonian region, as well as more remote provinces prove that the distribution of these longswords dates mainly from the second half of the 1st into the first half of the 2nd century AD, at the latest. The frontal, standing pose of the soldier stands out clearly from well-known tombstones of the northwest Pannonian Limes region.

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