Page 109 - Lazar, Irena. 2022. Pogled skozi steklo / A Look Through the Glass. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem. Libri universitatis hereditati, 1
P. 109
ued about twenty years later, between 1951 and be individual graves or graves within the family glassmaterialfromtheromannecropolisofbudvainthesocialandeconomiccontextoftheempire 109
1957, and in the years 1980–1981. The necropolis plots. Grave construction no. IV with a cippus in
has two parts, the older one belongs to the Hel- front of the built grave (pl. 93–95 and 122) con-
lenistic period (between the 4th and 1st centuries tained nine individual burials and seven of them
BC), while the Roman necropolis can be dated contained only glass goods. Additionally, 13 glass
to the period from the 1st to the 4th centuries AD vessels, mostly for cosmetic purposes, were add-
(Marković 2012, 11, 115). The excavated material ed individually and put on the grave floor and
was not completely studied until recently when between the urns; they probably represent the
the excavations from the period 1981–1982 were remains of libation, annual celebration or other
published by Čedomir Marković in 2012. grave cult practices for the deceased. The grave
construction and grave goods represent a fairly
The published material of the Roman ne- limited period of burials, ranging from the sec-
cropolis comprises 218 simple individual graves ond half of the 1st (cup Is 12 – pl. 93: 13; plate Is 49
and 63 larger grave constructions or burial plots – pl. 94: 10; mould-blown glass items) to the end
built of stone with several individual burials in of the 2nd century (beaker made of decolourised
stone or glass urns. The necropolis includes cre- glass (pl. 94: 5), large one-handled cylindrical
mation and also skeleton burials, the latest being bottles with a wide neck (pl. 93: 17; 94: 1, 11) and
only 36 or 15% of 256 graves in total. The peak of a square bottle Is 50 (pl. 94: 9), glass jars Isings 63
the necropolis and flourish of the town was, ac- with M-shaped handles (pl. 93: 15) and globular
cording to the Roman graves assemblages, the 1st jars with folded rims Isings 67 (pl. 94: 4, 14, 16).
and 2nd century AD.
All the above-mentioned types of larger
It is surprising how important were glass transport glass vessels can be used also as glass
vessels in the grave ritual of Budva, glass pre- urns in individual burials. Therefore, for the
dominates all other materials and many graves purpose of ash and grave good container in indi-
comprise only glass as a grave good in a buri- vidual burials not only globular glass urns with
al. Very few graves contain no glass items. And or without the handles are used (forms Isings 63,
that does not mean only one modest balsamari- 63, 67; Isings 1957, 81–3, 86) but also larger cylin-
um but several glass vessels, some of them repre- drical bottles with a wide neck (figure/slika 47)
senting the highest level of craftsmanship from and square or cylindrical jars are often used as an
the established Mediterranean workshops. The urn, the same practice as it was observed in fami-
latest discoveries and publications give the pos- ly grave plots. These glass urns are covered or put
sibility to study the graves assemblages with under half an amphora or some other large lower
varied and numerous glass items, ranging from part of the ceramic vessel for protection.
diverse glass vessels representing various produc-
tion techniques, colours and decoration, to jew- In this context, it is worth mentioning a
ellery like glass rings, spacers etc., as well as the group of large one-handled bottles with a dec-
patterns of use of the glass vessels and the social oration of horizontal grooves on the body (plot
structure of the deceased. IV a: pl. 93: 12; plot XXVIIb: pl. 105: 14; A-I/12:
PL. 115: 6) and typically folded rim–down, up
Mould-blown glass bottles and balsamaria and out to form a collar rim (see fig. 47 left).
of various colours and decorations, glass urns of This type of rim is very specific and is mostly
several types, cylindrical, polygonal and square linked with the workshops of the eastern Med-
bottles and various other glass tableware were iterranean in the region of Asia Minor or even
abundantly added as grave goods. There are nu- the Black Sea region, but not yet precisely locat-
merous graves with several glass objects in a ed (Stern 2001, 40; Biaggio Simona 1991, 188,
grave as well as graves with only glass vessels add- nos. 163.1.001, 176.1.001; Lazar 2008b, 49–100,
ed as grave goods (gr. nos. 4, 61, 66, 81, 82, 94, 73, fig. 11). The decoration is a combination of
14, 105, 106 etc., in total over 40%) and these can
1957, and in the years 1980–1981. The necropolis plots. Grave construction no. IV with a cippus in
has two parts, the older one belongs to the Hel- front of the built grave (pl. 93–95 and 122) con-
lenistic period (between the 4th and 1st centuries tained nine individual burials and seven of them
BC), while the Roman necropolis can be dated contained only glass goods. Additionally, 13 glass
to the period from the 1st to the 4th centuries AD vessels, mostly for cosmetic purposes, were add-
(Marković 2012, 11, 115). The excavated material ed individually and put on the grave floor and
was not completely studied until recently when between the urns; they probably represent the
the excavations from the period 1981–1982 were remains of libation, annual celebration or other
published by Čedomir Marković in 2012. grave cult practices for the deceased. The grave
construction and grave goods represent a fairly
The published material of the Roman ne- limited period of burials, ranging from the sec-
cropolis comprises 218 simple individual graves ond half of the 1st (cup Is 12 – pl. 93: 13; plate Is 49
and 63 larger grave constructions or burial plots – pl. 94: 10; mould-blown glass items) to the end
built of stone with several individual burials in of the 2nd century (beaker made of decolourised
stone or glass urns. The necropolis includes cre- glass (pl. 94: 5), large one-handled cylindrical
mation and also skeleton burials, the latest being bottles with a wide neck (pl. 93: 17; 94: 1, 11) and
only 36 or 15% of 256 graves in total. The peak of a square bottle Is 50 (pl. 94: 9), glass jars Isings 63
the necropolis and flourish of the town was, ac- with M-shaped handles (pl. 93: 15) and globular
cording to the Roman graves assemblages, the 1st jars with folded rims Isings 67 (pl. 94: 4, 14, 16).
and 2nd century AD.
All the above-mentioned types of larger
It is surprising how important were glass transport glass vessels can be used also as glass
vessels in the grave ritual of Budva, glass pre- urns in individual burials. Therefore, for the
dominates all other materials and many graves purpose of ash and grave good container in indi-
comprise only glass as a grave good in a buri- vidual burials not only globular glass urns with
al. Very few graves contain no glass items. And or without the handles are used (forms Isings 63,
that does not mean only one modest balsamari- 63, 67; Isings 1957, 81–3, 86) but also larger cylin-
um but several glass vessels, some of them repre- drical bottles with a wide neck (figure/slika 47)
senting the highest level of craftsmanship from and square or cylindrical jars are often used as an
the established Mediterranean workshops. The urn, the same practice as it was observed in fami-
latest discoveries and publications give the pos- ly grave plots. These glass urns are covered or put
sibility to study the graves assemblages with under half an amphora or some other large lower
varied and numerous glass items, ranging from part of the ceramic vessel for protection.
diverse glass vessels representing various produc-
tion techniques, colours and decoration, to jew- In this context, it is worth mentioning a
ellery like glass rings, spacers etc., as well as the group of large one-handled bottles with a dec-
patterns of use of the glass vessels and the social oration of horizontal grooves on the body (plot
structure of the deceased. IV a: pl. 93: 12; plot XXVIIb: pl. 105: 14; A-I/12:
PL. 115: 6) and typically folded rim–down, up
Mould-blown glass bottles and balsamaria and out to form a collar rim (see fig. 47 left).
of various colours and decorations, glass urns of This type of rim is very specific and is mostly
several types, cylindrical, polygonal and square linked with the workshops of the eastern Med-
bottles and various other glass tableware were iterranean in the region of Asia Minor or even
abundantly added as grave goods. There are nu- the Black Sea region, but not yet precisely locat-
merous graves with several glass objects in a ed (Stern 2001, 40; Biaggio Simona 1991, 188,
grave as well as graves with only glass vessels add- nos. 163.1.001, 176.1.001; Lazar 2008b, 49–100,
ed as grave goods (gr. nos. 4, 61, 66, 81, 82, 94, 73, fig. 11). The decoration is a combination of
14, 105, 106 etc., in total over 40%) and these can
