Some Terra Sigillata Finds From Ptuj

Abstract

The paper deals with sigillata finds which were discovered in Ptuj, mostly between 1965 and 1972. Among this material is a grave find from the great western necropolis2 (figs. 1, 2) and dwelling finds from the western town section, called vicus Fortunae (figs. 3—5). The greatest number of finds come from the central part of the town quarter on the lower southern Drava terrace where the large dwelling insulae stood 8,17 (figs. 6—37) and from the eastern part of the same quarter of the town 22,26 (figs. 38—59). Fewer finds from the northern bank of the Drava are discussed (figs. 61—79). As these fragments are determined according to their time and place of creation, we can establish that the quantity curve completely corresponds to the quantity curve already drawn up for sigillata previously found in Ptuj. Flavian sigillata is present in the greatest quantity, followed by sigillata the end of the second century. In general it can be observed that relief sigillata is only seldom a grave good. We also see that a significant number of objects represent the work of potters from Italy, from the town of Lezoux and from Rheinzabern. The large percentage of Flavian Italic sigillata is instructive. It aids the study of the end of the Italic sigillata industry. New finds do not contradict old observations that the town expanded in the first century, mostly along the east-west road axis. Sigillata itself helped to underline the significance of several building insulae on the southern Drava terrace. Besides this, in the final strata from middle of the third century,26 we can distinguish some Rheinzabern sigillata which is certainly not from the final phases of the activity of the Rheinzabern workshops (fig. 56, several examples), which suggests the theory that this great industry did not cease working until the middle of the third century.