Mortaria with name-stamps from Pannonia
Mortaria with name-stamps from Pannonia

Summary/Abstract: Mortaria are among the most interesting types of Roman vessels. Some related questions raised by E. Ettlinger in 1959 although these have still not been adequately answered. Why do they occur in large numbers at some sites, while on others not? What were they used for – cheese preparation or corn grinding? Why it was just the mortaria which were stamped in the 1st and 2nd centuries? Why were they transported relatively great distances despite their size and weight? I suppose, the first question is partly connected with the second one. The number of mortaria on individual sites probably relates to their function with respect to food preparation customs preferred by particular population groups. The function of mortaria is not fully understood so this topic had been discussed in the literature from time to time.

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