Augustan sword-scabbards with net-like fitments
Janka ISTENIČ
Povzetek
V članku so obravnavani mrežasti okovi, ki so krasili konice nožnic mečev. V dveh primerih so bili nedvomno pritrjeni na nožnici tipa Mainz. Najdiščne okoliščine teh okovov omogočajo njihovo datacijo v avgustejski čas, predvsem v desetletja pr. n. š. Njihova široka geografska razširjenost kaže, da niso lokalen ali regionalen pojav, temveč, da so del "redne" proizvodnje rimskega orožja. Obravnavan je tudi njihov časovni odnos do okovov s predrtim in iztolčenim reliefnim okrasom, ki so prav tako krasili nožnice tipa Mainz.
Abstract
The paper deals with net-like fitments which were attached to the tips of sword-scabbards. In two cases it is clear that such fitments were attached to scabbards of the Mainz type. The relatively good dating evidence indicates that they were current during the time of Augustus, especially in the decades before Christ. Their wide geographical distribution implies that they were part of the "regular" production of Roman weapons. Their chronological relationship to the openwork/opus interrasile and embossed fitments, which also occurred on sword-scabbards of the Mainz type, is discussed as well.
INTRODUCTION: THE FITMENT FROM SISAK/SISCIA - CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DISCOVERY
The City museum of Sisak (Gradski muzej Sisak, Croatia) has in its collections a fitment (Figs. 1 and 2; no inventory number) made of copper alloy that seems, from its yellowish-golden shine, to be brass rather than bronze. It was found at Sisak/ Siscia (Fig. 8) in 1956, but no further details are known. The absence of any patina suggests that it was found in water. The numerous and rich Roman finds recovered from the River Kupa (Colapis; cf. Hoffiller 1908, 118; Hoffiller 1912, Fig. 30: 1,2,6,7; Fig. 36: 2; Fig. 38: 1; Figs. 46-51) suggest that this fitment also probably originated from that river.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FITMENT FROM SISAK/SISCIA
The net-like fitment with right-angled members was made in one piece. The surviving fragment is
116 mm high and 67 mm wide. The bars, approximately 4 mm wide and less than 1mm thick, have a cross-section like a wide "V". The three members are only fragmentary. On the better-preserved transverse bar is a place (marked by an arrow on Fig. 1) where the member appears to have probably originally been bent. The complete bar, presumably the upper one (see below), is thickened near its upper end and decorated with two ribs, then thins out, and is gently rounded at the end. The junction of the four bars is decorated with four ribs radiating outwards from the central point.
SWORD-SCABBARDS WITH NET-LIKE FITMENTS AND THEIR DATING
The object described can be identified with certainty as the cage-like fitment of a sword-scabbard. A photograph of a similar fitment, also found in the River Kupa at Sisak, is in the Arheološki muzej Zagreb (Fig. 3), and was published in 1912 (Hoffiller, 1912, 120, Fig. 51; reproduced in Koščevic 1995,
Fig. 1: Fitment from Sisak (Siscia), probably from the River Kupa, in the Gradski muzej Sisak. Drawn by I. Vidoševic. Scale = 2:3. Sl. 1: Mrežasti okov iz Siska (Siscia), verjetno iz Kolpe; hrani Gradski muzej Sisak. Risba Irena Vidoševic. M. = 2:3.
Fig. 2: Fitment from Sisak (Siscia), probably from the River Kupa, in the Gradski muzej Sisak. Photograph. Not to scale. Sl. 2: Mrežasti okov iz Siska (Siscia), verjetno iz Kolpe; hrani Gradski muzej Sisak. Fotografija. Ni merila.
18, Pl. 32: 299). The other examples were not known until relatively recently; these are from: Comacchio, Emilia Romagna, Italy (Fig. 6) (Invernizzi 1990, 100 - Fig. 4, 101, 260, 261, Pl. 68: 229)1, Magdalensberg, Carinthia, Austria (Fig. 7: a) (Dolenz 1998, 49-53, Fig. 19; Pl. 1: M1), Kalkriese, Rhineland-Westphalia, Germany (Fig. 4) (Franzius 1999, 578581, Figs. 11; 16), the River Ljubljanica, Slovenia (Fig. 7: b) (Istenič 2000a; 2000b), Saintes/ Mediolanum Santonum, Charente-Maritime, France (Fig. 5) (Feugere 2002)2 and Pitres/Pistae, Eure, Normandie, France (Dechezlepretre, forthcoming).
The orientation of the present object is best
understood by its comparison with the fitment from Kalkriese, which has a similar profile at its upper end (Fig. 4) (Franzius 1999, 578-581, Figs. 11; 16). The width of the scabbard from Sisak measures c. 6 cm at the point of the cross-member (Fig. 1). This seems large, when compared with the examples from Kalkriese (Fig. 4; c. 4.5 cm, according to Franzius 1999, Fig. 16) and Comacchio (Fig. 6; c. 4.0 cm, deduced from Invernizzi 1990, 260, 261, Pl. 68: 229), but accords relatively well with the other fitment from the River Kupa at Sisak (Fig. 3; 5.4 cm).
Most of the net-like fitments currently known were attached to the tip of the scabbard only, but
1	According to the original publication of the material from the Comacchio ship (Berti et al. 1990), a short sword and a dagger were found there (Invernizzi 1990, 101). The ornamented arm-guard (o. c., 101, 258, Pl. 68: 227) and two suspension (?) rings (Diam. 2.4 and 2.7 cm) belong to the badly preserved sword. The second weapon (now lost) was found at a location different from that of the sword and was identified as the scabbard of a dagger because of its length. According to the report, it was made of wood and had two copper-alloy transverse fitments with loops and rings for suspension (Diam. 1.5 cm) as well as the mesh-like mount and a knob. On the photograph of this find in situ (no scale), the lower part (?) of a scabbard with only one transverse fitment can be seen. It would be unusual to find such transverse mounts, which are typical of scabbards of gladii of the Mainz Type, on a Roman dagger (cf. Bishop, Coulston 1993,71, 74-79; Feugere 1993, 138-141, 163-166). For this reason, it seems highly probable that the scabbard came from a gladius. Its relationship to the short sword with ornamented arm-guard, already mentioned (Invernizzi 1990, 101, 258, Pl. 68: 227), remains unclear. Although not found close to each other, their origin in the same general context suggests that they could have constituted a single item (i.e. a gladius with its scabbard). On the other hand, the suspension (?) rings found on or near the sword are much larger (2.4 cm; cf. o. c., 101, 258, Pl. 68: 227) than the ones known from transverse fitments (1.5 cm). With no discussion Feugere (1993, 265; 2002, 12, Fig. 2) accepted them as the remains of a sword and its scabbard.
2	The exact find spot of this fitment is not known, but it most probably comes from Saintes. Most of the items of the old collections in the Musee Archeologique de Saintes, where the fitment is stored, derive from the Roman city of Saintes (M. Feugere, pers. comm.).
Fig. 3: Fitment from the River Kupa at Sisak (Siscia), in the Arheološki muzej Zagreb. Drawn by D. Knific Lunder. Scale = 2:3. Sl. 3: Mrežasti okov iz reke Kolpe v Sisku (Siscia), hrani Arheološki muzej Zagreb. Risba Dragica Knific Lunder. M. = 2:3.
Fig. 4: The net-like fitment (scale = 2:3) from Kalkriese (from Franzius 1999, Fig. 11: 2a,b; Fig. 16: 2). Sl. 4: Mrežasti okov (M. = 2:3) iz Kalkrieseja (iz Franzius 1999, sl. 11: 2a,b; sl. 16: 2).
on the example from the River Ljubljanica (Fig. 7: b), the cage-like fitment covered the whole front side of the scabbard. It is unclear how much of the scabbard would have been covered by the partially preserved fitments from Pitres and in particular Magdalensberg (Fig. 7: a). Apart from the silver fitments of the luxurious scabbard from Kalkriese, these cage-like fittings were made of a copper-alloy. In the case of the scabbard from the Ljubljanica, it was established from the analyses that this alloy was brass (Šmit, Pelicon 2000, 184-186, Table 1: 7,16; Fig. 1: 7,16; Istenič 2000a, 174; Istenič 2000b, 2).
There is good dating evidence for the fitments discussed here. The example from the shipwreck at Comacchio is dated to the end of the 1st century
B.C., more precisely to 19/12 B.C. according to Garcia-Bellido (1998, 2). The fitment found at Kalkriese, the site of Varrus' disastrous battle, belonged to a scabbard probably manufactured soon after 18/16 B.C. and most probably still in use in the time of the battle in A.D. 9 (Franzius 1999, 598-599).3 The fitting from the Gallo-Roman cemetery at Pitres (Roman vicus of Pistae; cf. Cerdan 1993) comes from a grave dated by a thin-walled beaker to c. 20/10 B.C. (Dechezlepretre, forthcoming). The scabbard from Magdalensberg, of which the cage-like fitment may perhaps have covered the whole front of the scabbard, was found in a closed context dated to 30/20 B.C. (Dolenz 1998, 50; Kenner 1963).
3 There is little evidence as to how long Roman gladii were in use. Künzl (1996, 389) estimated 10 years as an average period of use. A much longer life span is suggested by the find of a gladius in its scabbard and a matching cingulum, deposited in a pit in a barrack at the fortress of Vindonissa. They had been in use at least 30 years, but more probably 40 or perhaps even 50 years (Deschler-Erb 1996, 27-29).
Fig. 4a: A reconstruction of the sword-scabbard with a net-like fitment from Kalkriese. Scale = 1:3. (From Franzius 1999, Fig. 11: 2a,b; Fig. 16: 2).
Sl. 4a: Rekonstrukcija pripadajoče nožnice mrežastega okova iz Kalkrieseja. M. = 1:3. (Iz Franzius 1999, sl. 11: 2a,b; sl. 16: 2).
From the evidence discussed, scabbards decorated with net-like fitments on the tip were in use from the early to the late Augustan period. Their typological and also most probably their chronological predecessors seem to be represented by the scabbard with the brass cage-like fitment covering the whole
Fig. 5: The net-like fitment from SaintesIMediolanum Santonum. Scale = 2:3 (from Feugere 2002, Fig. 1). Sl. 5: Mrežasti okov iz SaintesalMediolanum Santonum (iz Feugere 2002, sl. 1). M. = 2:3
front side, which was found in the River Ljubljanica (Fig. 7: b) (Istenič 2000a, 179; 2000b, 4).
SWORD-SCABBARDS WITH NET-LIKE FITMENTS AND OTHER TYPES OF DECORATION ON SWORD-SCABBARDS OF MAINZ TYPE
The fitments from Kalkriese (cf. Franzius 1999, 573-587, 594-597, Figs. 4-11; 16) and Comacchio (Invernizzi 1990, 100, 101 - Fig. 4, 260, 261, Pl. 68: 229) indicate that these net-like fittings were attached to the tips of scabbards of the Mainz type. Until recently, the only decoration known to be associated with this type of scabbard comprised,
i) openwork/opus interrasile fittings, and ii) fitments with embossed motifs.
From the published evidence, scabbards with openwork decoration were in use in the middle-(examples from Dangstetten and Oberaden) and late Augustan (examples from Haltern) periods, as well as in the Tiberian period (examples from the Vindonissa Schütthügel; cf. Künzl 1996, 389392, 449-453). Scabbards of Mainz-type decorated with fitments with embossed motifs are of two variants: i) scabbards with fitments with embossed decoration arranged in zones in the same manner as that.found on scabbards with openwork decoration, and ii) scabbards which are almost totally covered with embossed plates (cf. Bishop, Coulston 1993, 71, 73, Fig. 37: 2,3). The first variant is best exemplified by the Bonn fitment from the top of a scabbard (Mundblech), probably depicting lulia with Gaius Caesar and Lucius Caesar, and thus dated to 10/2 B.C. (Künzl 1996, 401-402), and the "Tiberius sword", dated to A.D. 16/17 (Künzl 1996, 402406). There is also evidence for scabbards of this variant at Colchester and Chichester, suggesting their continuated use in to the 40s (Bishop, Coulston 1993, 71). Scabbards of the second variant, on the other hand, are Tiberian(/Claudian) (cf. Deschler-Erb 1999, 23; Künzl 1996, 406-426), but at least some of them may have still been in use in the 60s, or perhaps even the 70s (Deschler-Erb 1996, 27; Deschler-Erb 1999, 23, 28).
CONCLUSIONS
The wide geographical distribution of the netlike fitments of sword scabbards (Fig. 8) shows that they were not a regional phenomenon. Scabbards with a net-like fitment on the tip should be regarded as the "regular" output of workshops making Roman weapons at the time of Augustus, especially in the decades before Christ. Their currency partly overlapped with that of scabbards with openwork decoration. On present evidence, they seem to have started (slightly) earlier, and ceased to be used considerably earlier than scabbards with openwork decoration. The majority of the Mainz-type scabbards decorated with fitments with embossed motifs seem to have been in use when scabbards decorated with net-like fitments were no longer in production.
Fig. 6: The net-like fitment, transverse fitments and knob of the scabbard of a gladius from the Comacchio shipwrack. Scale = approx. 2:3 (from Invernizzi 1990, 260, 261, Pl. 68: 229). Sl. 6: Mrežasti okov in prečna okova ter zaključek nožnice gladija iz Comacchia (iz Invernizzi 1990, 260, 261, t. 68: 229). M. = 2:3.
Fig. 8: Find-spots of sword-scabbards. Sl. 8: Najdišča nožnic z mrežastim okovom.
Aknowledgements
Zoran Wiewegh and Zdenko Burkowsky (Gradski muzej Sisak) kindly allowed me to publish the fitment and provided me with a drawing and photograph. Dr. Ivan Radman Livaja (Arheološki muzej Zagreb) allowed the other fitment from the river Kupa at Sisak to be drawn and published. Dr. Dragan Božič (Institute of Archaeology, Ljubljana) helped me with the discussion, by reading and commenting the text, as well as with the organisation and financing of the drawing of the fitment from the river Kupa at Sisak, now in Arheološki muzej Zagreb. To Thierry Dechezlepretre (Nancy, France) I am grateful for information on the fitment from Pitres and for kindly permitting me to mention it in this paper. I would also like to thank dr. Vivien Swan for improving the English text.
Fig. 7: (a) The sword and the remains of its scabbard with netlike fitment, from Magdalensberg (from Dolenz 1998, Pl. 1: M1); and (b) the sword with the scabbard from the River Ljubljanica (from Istenič 2000a, Fig. 4). Scale = 1:3. Sl. 7: (a) Meč z ostanki nožnice z mrežastim okovom s Štalenske gore (iz Dolenz 1998, t. 1: M1); in (b) meč z nožnico z mrežastim okovom iz Ljubljanice (iz Istenič 2000a, sl. 4). M. = 1:3.
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Avgustejske nožnice mečev z mrežastimi okovi
UVOD: OKOV IZ SlSKAjSISCIA - OKOLIŠČINE NAJDBE
Gradski muzej Sisak (Hrvaška) hrani v svojih zbirkah okov (sl. 1 in 2; brez inv. št.) iz bakrove zlitine, za katero se glede na rumenozlat sij zdi verjetneje, da je medenina kot bron. Najden je bil v Sisku/Siscia (sl. 8: 1) leta 1956, podrobnejši podatki niso znani. Odsotnost patine kaže, da je bil najden v vodi. Glede na številne in bogate rimske najdbe iz reke Kolpe (Kupa/Colapis; cf. Hoffiller 1908, 118; Hoffiller 1912, sl. 30: 1,2,6,7; sl. 36: 2; 38: 1; sl. 46-51) je verjetno, da tudi ta okov izvira iz Kolpe.
OPIS OKOVA IZ SISKA/SISCIA
Mrežasti okov s pravokotno sekajočimi se kraki je bil izdelan iz enega kosa. Ohranjeni odlomek je visok 116 mm in širok 67 mm. Pribl. 4 mm široki in manj kot 1 mm debeli kraki imajo presek v obliki široke črke "V". Trije kraki so le delno ohranjeni, eden pa v celoti. Eden od prečnih krakov je bil izvorno verjetno prepognjen (mesto pregiba je na sl. 1 označeno s puščico). V celoti ohranjeni krak, verjetno zgornji (glej dalje), je na zgornjem zaključku odebeljen in okrašen z dvema rebroma, na koncu pa se stanjša in zaokroženo zaključi. Križišče krakov je okrašeno s štirimi rebrci, ki povezujejo središče križišča s koti, ki jih oblikujejo pravokotno sekajoči se kraki.
NOŽNICE MEČEV Z MREŽASTIM OKOVOM IN NJIHOVA DATACIJA
Opisani predmet je mrežasti okov z nožnice meča. Fotografijo podobnega okova, prav tako najdenega v reki Kolpi v Sisku
(sl. 3), hrani Arheološki muzej Zagreb. Objavljen je bil že leta 1912 (Hoffiller, 1912, 120, sl. 51; ista fotografija ponovno objavljena v Koščevic 1995, 18, t. 32: 299). Šele iz novejših objav so znani drugi primerki: Comacchio, Emilia Romagna, Italija (sl. 6) (Invernizzi 1990, 100 - sl. 4, 101, 260, 261, t. 68: 229)1; Štalenska gora, Koroška, Avstrija (sl. 7: a) (Dolenz 1998, 49-53, sl. 19; t. 1: M1); Kalkriese, Rhein-Westphalen, Nemčija (sl. 4) (Franzius 1999, 578-581, sl. 11; 16); reka Ljubljanica, Slovenija (sl. 7: b) (Istenič 2000a; 2000b); Saintes/Mediolanum Santonum, Charente-Maritime, Francija (sl. 5) (Feugere 2002)2; Pitres/Pistae, Eure, Normandija, Francija (Dechezlepretre, v tisku).
Orientacijo okova iz Siska omogoča primerjava z okovom iz Kalkrieseja, ki ima podobno profiliran zaključek zgornjega kraka (sl. 4) (Franzius 1999, 578-581, sl. 11; 16). Širina nožnice iz Siska je na mestu, kjer se kraki križajo, merila pribl. 6 cm (sl. 1). V primerjavi s primerkoma iz Kalkriesja (sl. 4; pribl. 4,5 cm, po Franzius 1999, sl. 16) in Comacchia (sl. 6; pribl. 4,0 cm, glede na Invernizzi 1990, 260, 261, t. 68: 229) je to precej široko, sklada pa se razmeroma dobro z drugim okovom iz Kolpe v Sisku (sl. 3; 5,4 cm).
Večina znanih mrežastih okovov je bila omejena na konico nožnice, pri primerku iz Ljubljanice (sl. 7: b) pa mrežasti okras pokriva njeno celo sprednjo stran. Za le delno ohranjeni okov s Štalenske gore (sl. 7: a) in tudi za okov iz Pitresa ni jasno, ali sta bila omejena le na konico nožnice. Razen srebrnih okovov razkošne nožnice iz Kalkrieseja, so ti mrežasti okovi izdelani iz bakrove zlitine. Za okove nožnice iz Ljubljanice je bilo z analizami ugotovljeno, da je zlitina medenina (Šmit, Pelicon 2000, 184-186, tab. 1: 7,16; sl. 1: 7,16; Istenič 2000a, 174; Istenič 2000b, 2).
Najdiščne okoliščine obravnavanih okovov nožnic omogočajo njihovo razmeroma dobro časovno umestitev. Razbitine ladje, potopljene pri Comacchiu, sodijo na konec 1. stoletja pr. n. š.,
1 V objavi ostalin potopljene ladje iz Comacchia (Berti et al. 1990) sta kot edina kosa orožja navedena zelo slabo ohranjen kratek meč in v drugem delu ladje najdena lesena nožnica, ki naj bi glede na dolžino pripadala bodalu (Invernizzi 1990, 101). K meču poleg rezila in ostankov ročaja sodijo bronasti del branika in dva obročka premera 2,4 in 2,7 cm (sploščen!) iz bakrove zlitine (o. c., 101, 258, t. 68: 227). K drugemu kosu orožja sodijo ostanki lesene nožnice z dvema prečnima okovoma iz bakrove zlitine z zankama in obročki za obešenje premera 1,5 cm, mrežast okov in zaključni gumb. Na fotografiji te najdbe in situ (brez merila) je viden spodnji (?) del nožnice z le enim prečnim okovom (o. c., 101, 258, t. 68: 227). Bilo bi zelo nenavadno, če bi prečne okove, ki so značilni za nožnice mečev tipa Mainz (cf. Bishop, Coulston 1993,71, 74-79; Feugere 1993, 138-141, 163-166), našli na nožnici bodala. Zdi se torej zelo verjetno, da predmet predstavlja del nožnice gladija. Njegov odnos do prej omenjenega kratkega meča z okrašeno odbojno ploščo ni jasen. Glede na dejstvo, da izhajata iz istega konteksta (potopljena ladja), bi lahko domnevali, da tvorita celoto, tj. meč s pripadajočo nožnico (tako npr. Feugere (1993, 265; 2002, 12, sl. 2). V tem primeru bi pričakovali, da sta obročka za obešenje (?), ki sta bila najdena ob meču, tista, ki manjkata na enem od prečnih okovov nožnice (cf. o. c., t. 68: 229). Vendar pa glede na primerjavo mer teh obročkov to ni mogoče, saj premer obročkov na nožnici meri 2,4 (sploščeni 2,7 cm), tistih na nožnici pa 1,5 cm.
po Garcia-Bellido (1998, 2) natančneje med leti 19 in 12 pr. n. š. Mrežasti okov iz Kalkrieseja, prizorišča Varovega katastrofalnega poraza, je pripadal nožnici, ki je bila izdelana verjetno kmalu po 18/16 pr. n. š. in je bila v uporabi še v bitki leta 9 n. š. (Franzius 1999, 598-599).3 Okov iz galsko-rimskega grobišča v Pitresu (rimski vikus Pistae; cf. Cerdan 1993) je bil najden v grobu, ki glede na tankosteno čašo sodi v obdobje 2010 pr. n. š. (Dechezlepretre, forthcoming). Nožnica s Štalenske gore, pri kateri je mrežasti okov morda pokrival celo sprednjo stran, je bila najdena v sklopu, ki je datiran v pribl. 30-20 pr. n. š. (Dolenz 1998, 50; Kenner 1963).
Iz navedenih podatkov izhaja, da so bile nožnice z mrežastimi okovi na konici v uporabi od zgodnje do pozne avgustejske dobe. Njihove tipološke in verjetno tudi kronološke predhodnike predstavlja nožnica iz Ljubljanice (sl. 7: b; Istenič 2000a, 179; 2000b, 4).
NOŽNICE Z MREŽASTIM OKOVOM IN DRUGI TIPI OKRASA NOŽNIC MEČEV TIPA MAINZ
pri katerih so okovi pokrivali pretežni del površine, so tiberijski ali tiberijsko-klavdijski (cf. Deschler-Erb 1999, 23; Künzl 1996, 406-426), redki primerki pa so verjetno bili v uporabi še v 7. ali morda celo 8. desetletju n. š. (Deschler-Erb 1996, 27; Deschler-Erb 1999, 23, 28).
SKLEP
Široka geografska razširjenost nožnic z mrežastim okovom oziroma mrežastih okovov (sl. 8) kaže, da niso le lokalen ali regionalen pojav. Nožnice z mrežastim okovom na konici so bile torej del "redne" proizvodnje rimskega orožja v času Avgusta, še posebej v obdobju pr.n.š. Njihova uporaba časovno deloma sovpada z uporabo nožnic z okovi, okrašenimi v predrti tehniki. Objavljeni podatki nakazujejo, da je pričetek izdelave nožnic z mrežastim okrasom (malo) zgodnejši, zaključek njihove izdelave pa občutno zgodnejši kot pri nožnicah z okovi, okrašenimi v predrti tehniki. Glavnina nožnic tipa Mainz z okovi z iztolčenim okrasom je bila v uporabi, ko nožnic z mrežastim okrasom niso več izdelovali.
Okovi nožnice iz Kalkrieseja (cf. Franzius 1999, 573-587, 594-597, Figs. 4-11, 16) in Comacchia (Invernizzi 1990, 100, 101 - sl. 4, 260, 261; t. 68: 229) kažejo, da so bili mrežasti okovi pritrjeni na konice nožnic tipa Mainz. Do nedavnega so s tem tipom nožnic povezovali le okove, okrašene v predrti tehniki (opus interrasile), in okove z iztolčenim okrasom.
Objavljeni podatki kažejo, da so bile nožnice z okovi, okrašenimi v predrti tehniki, v uporabi v srednje- (primerki iz Dangstettna in Oberadna) in poznoavgustejskem (primerki iz Halterna) obdobju, pa tudi še v času Tiberija (primerki z legijskega smetišča v Vindonissi; cf. Künzl 1996, 389-392, 449-453).
Med nožnicami tipa Mainz, ki so okrašene z okovi z iztolčenimi motivi, lahko razlikujemo dve različici: 1) nožnice z okovi, ki so pritrjeni na iste dele nožnice kot pri nožnicah z okovi, okrašenimi v predrti tehniki, in 2) nožnice, ki so skoraj v celoti prekrite s pločevino, okrašeno z iztolčenimi motivi (cf. Bishop, Coulston 1993, 71, 73, sl. 37: 2-3). V prvo različico sodita v Bonnu najden okov ustja nožnice, ki verjetno prikazuje Gaja (Gaius Caesar) in Lucija Cezarja (Lucius Caesar), in je zato datiran med leti 10 in 2 pr. n. š. (Künzl 1996, 401-402), ter t. i. "Tiberijev meč", ki je bil narejen na začetku Tiberijeve vlade, verjetno v letu 16 ali 17 n. š. (Künzl 1996, 402-406). Ostanki iste različice nožnic iz Colchestra in Chichestra kažejo, da je bila ta v uporabi še v 5. desetletju n. š. (Bishop, Coulston 1993, 71). Primerki nožnic,
Zahvale
Zoran Wiewegh in Zdenko Burkowsky (Gradski muzej Sisak) sta mi zelo prijazno dovolila objaviti okov iz Gradskega muzeja in sta mi tudi preskrbela risbo in fotografije. Dr. Ivan Radman Livaja (Arheološki muzej Zagreb) je dovolil risanje in objavo okova iz zagrebškega muzeja. Dr. Dragan Božič (Inštitut za arheologijo ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana) mi je pomagal z diskusijo in komentiranjem besedila ter s financiranjem in organiziranjem risanja okova iz zagrebškega muzeja. Thierry Dechezlepretre (Nancy, Francija) mi je posredoval podatke o okovu iz Pitresa in dovolil njegovo omembo v članku. Moje angleško besedilo je izboljšala dr. Vivien Swan.
Janka Istenič
Narodni muzej Slovenije
Prešernova 20
SI-1000 Ljubljana
e-mail: janka.istenic@narmuz-lj.si
2	O najdišču tega okova ni podatkov. Kljub temu je bil najverjetneje najden v Saintesu. Sodi namreč v staro zbirko Musee Archeologique de Saintes, v kateri predmeti v glavnem izvirajo iz rimskih plasti mesta Saintes (za podatek se zahvaljujem Michelu Feugeru).
3	O trajanju uporabe rimskih mečev je malo podatkov. Künzl (1996, 389) je ocenil, da je bila povprečna doba uporabe gladija 10 let. Vendar najdba meča s pripadajočo o nožnico in cingulom, ki je bila zakopana v tla vojaške barake v Vindonissi, nakazuje precej daljši čas uporabe, tj. najmanj 30, verjetneje pa 40, morda celo 50 let (Deschler-Erb 1996, 27-29).