A Possible Modius/Sextarius Italicus? Comments on a Rare Roman Stone Cup from Dobri làki, Macedonia Secunda
Петър Минков, Светослав Йорданов. Модиус/секстариус? Бележки за рядък каменен съд от Добри лаки, Македония секунда

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this article is to publish an extremely rare and previously unstudied object – a stone vessel with a vertical handle which dates to the Roman period from present-day Bulgaria. It has been found under unknown circumstances near Dobri làki Village, Blagoevgrad Region. Despite its extraordinary and unusual nature, the vessel has remained excluded from scientific research for more than eight decades. The dimensions of the vessel are H = 15.2 cm; D (r) = 15.2 cm; D (b) = 14.2 cm; W (th.) = 0.9–1.1/1.2 cm; the width of the handle is 2.4 cm at the top, 2.8 cm in the middle and 2.6 cm at the base; its thickness is 2.6 m at the top, 2.8 cm in the middle and 3 cm at the base. The cup is made either of soapstone, tar-slate or talc-schist, all of which are exceptionally soft and workable. The vessel has an almost flat-cut mouth with a flat rim, cylindrical profile, straight sides, and a flat, non-profiled base. The surface of the artefact exhibits numerous modern scratches and marks that are not decorative in nature, including a modern perforation on the base, probably made by a tool when the object was unearthed. The outer surface of the base is covered entirely by a black stain caused by prolonged heating and/or smoke absorption, or direct fire damage. To a lesser extent, traces of burning are visible in isolated places on the walls of the object. The stone cup has a vertical handle with an irregular rectangular cross-section. On the upper rim of the cup are incised marks, “X – X”, though it is difficult to determine whether the markings are graffiti, or if they represent deliberate, meaningful marks (measurement marks, etc.). The vessel was most probably made on a lathe, as evidenced by the horizontal, parallel ribs in relief on the widest part of its body (resembling cannelures).The lack of information about the archaeological context of the Dobri làki vessel makes its interpretation difficult. Given the absence of data, it can be proposed that its function was probably utilitarian. The burnt surface attests either to the time of its last use (during fire or a destruction event) or to its possible secondary use (utilitarian or otherwise) later (including within the period when the vessel was made and used for its original function). Based on the similarity to vessels from other parts of the Roman Empire, one possible hypothesis is that the vessel from Dobri làki may have been used to measure dry produce/grain stock. Despite the lack of published similar vessels made of stone, their possible existence can be indirectly inferred from the information that, after the reform of Valentinian II, Theodosius and Arcadius on 28 November 386, it was mentioned that, in addition to bronze, modii may also have been made of stone. When calculating the internal volume of the vessel from Dobri làki, it was found to be 1.66 L (1.66412 L). This, in turn, indicates that the volume of the vessel of Dobri làki is close to the sum of three sextarii – 3x0.547 (125) L = 1.641 (375), which is three parts of the whole value of one Modius Italicus. However, due to the lack of data on the archaeological context of the vessel from Dobri làki, it is difficult to identify with certainty its membership in the group of measuring vessels, and this interpretation is therefore tentative.

• Details
• Contents