Roman Inscriptions in the National Museum of Slovenia: the Provenance of the Stone PDF

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Marjeta Sasei-Kos, Roman ... , (57-68) H istri a Antiqua, 3/1997. Marjeta Sasel-Kos ROMAN INSCRIPTIONS IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SLOVENIA: THE PROVENANCE OF THE STONE UDC 904:72.024.032. 77:069(497.4-25) Marjeta Sasei-Kos Original scientific paper Institute [Pr)\rchaeology ZRC Recived: 04.02. I 997....

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Marjeta Sasei-Kos, Roman ... , (57-68)

H istri a Antiqua, 3/1997.

Marjeta Sasel-Kos

ROMAN INSCRIPTIONS IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SLOVENIA: THE PROVENANCE OF THE STONE UDC 904:72.024.032. 77:069(497.4-25) Original scientific paper Recived: 04.02. I 997. Approved: 15.04. 1997.

Marjeta Sasei-Kos Institute [Pr)\rchaeology ZRC of the Sloven ian Academy of Sciences and Arts 1000 Ljubljana - Slovenia

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e National Museum of Slovenia in Ljubljana was founded as the Camiolan museum in 1821; it opened for he public in the Lycaeum building in 1831, and relocated to its present building in 1885 soon after its completion. The lapidarium is one of the museum's earliest collections. In addition to approximately two hundred inscribed Roman monuments, it contains mainly fragmentary sculptures, reliefs, and architectural elements. These stone monuments come mosUy from Ljubljana (Roman Emona) and from Ig, one of the most important vici in Emona's territory; also from Trojane (Roman Atrans in Noricum), Dmovo near Krsko (Neviodunum in Upper Pannonia), and from other sites in Dolenjska (Lower Corniola). Some twenty-jive inscriptions are from Trebnje (Praetorium Latobicorum in territoryoJNeviodunum) and from Bela Krajina (White Corniola). Analyses of the stones ofsome of the monuments were carried out under the supervision of Professor Anton Ramovs, who also determined some of the stone types without resorting to chemical analyses; as was expected, in most cases the stones of the monuments from the lapidarium are local. It has been established that the Glince and Ig limestone predominate at Emona; the latter originated from several sites at lg and its vicinity, including the Podpee quarries. Loco/limestone was also mostly utilized for the inscribed monuments from Zasavje (the Sava valley and its hinterland), as well as for those from the Krsko region and Trebnje (the former Neviodunum ager). Monuments carved in Aurisina (Nabreiina, above Trieste) limestone are exceptional, consisting of afew late Republican or early Augustan inscriptions from Nauportus (present-day Vrhnika) and Emona. Equally Jew monuments were manufactured from Pohorje marble.

The National Museum of Slovenia in Ljubljana was founded in 182 1 as the Carniolan museum; it opened for the public in the Lycaeum building in 1831 , and relocated to its present building in 1885 soon after its completion. The lapidarium is one of the museum's earliest collections. In addition to approximately two hundred inscribed Roman monuments, it contains mainly fragmentary sculptures, reliefs, and architectural elements. These stone monuments come mostly from Ljubljana (Roman Emona) and from Ig, one of the most important vici in Emona's territory; also from Trojane (Roman Atrans in Noricum), Drnovo near Krsko (Neviodunum in Upper Pannonia), and from other sites in Dolenjska (Lower Carniola) Some twenty-five inscriptions are from Trebnje (Praetorium Latobicorum in the territory of Neviodunum) and from Bela Krajina (White Carniola; see fig. 1). Most of these monuments have not until recently been accurately described and many of

them have not been published with a photograph or any historical commentary. Accurate descriptions not only of the inscriptions but of the monuments as a whole, as well as the results of analyses of the varied quality of stone are most important for properly classifying these Roman stones within a broader historical context. Five years ago, Professor Anton Ramovs undertook to carry out and supervise analyses of the stones of some of the monuments in the geological laboratory; for some of the stone types, however, he was able to identify their provenance without resorting to chemical analyses. In several instances his determinations coincided with those from 19th century publications, when antiquarians had a much broader knowledge of the natural sciences, notably also of geology, than an average historian or archaeologist has at present. Nonetheless, there was certain confusion in distinguishing Glince, Podpec, Ig, and Trebnje region limestones (jig. 2): their structure is in

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Histria Antiqua , 3/1997.

Marieta Sasel-Kos, Roman ... , (5 7-68 )

Fig. I : Sites mentioned in the text. Fig. 2: Identified and hypothesized Roman quarries in the Ljubljana area.

some cases actually very similar, so that their exact provenance cannot be established with certainty. As expected, the stones used for the monuments from the lapidarium are mostly local. It has been established that Glince limestone and also Ig limestone predominate at Emona;l the latter originated from several sites at Ig and its vicinity, including the Podpec quarries. It is known that the limestone from Castle Hill was also used in Emona, and the Roman walls of Emona were

I A. RAMOVS, Glinican o...