Olovna posuda sa reljefnom predstavom ribe iz Singidunuma

Abstract

Rad je posvećen minijaturnom tanjiru od olova sa reljefnom predstavom ribe na dnu. Ova posuda, otkrivena na prostoru jugoistočne nekropole rimskog Singidunuma, kako oblikom, tako i dekoracijom imitira popularnu formu ovalnih tanjira koji su se razvili iz skupocenih servisa od srebra i bronze, a potom zaživeli i među oblicima luksuznijih keramičkih tipova. Osim na predstavu ribe, skrećemo pažnju i na neuobičajen i neočekivan prikaz povrća najverovatnije krastavaca (Cucumis sativus), koji se pojavljuju na reljefnom ukrasu ove posude, lokalnog rada iz perioda II-III v.

A vessel with a very interesting relief representation on the bottom is housed in the Late Roman Collection of the National Museum in Belgrade (fig. 1; pl. I/1). The vessel, shaped as a miniature shallow plate, is cast in lead. It is of oval shape with two horizontal flat handles antithetically placed on the narrow sides of the vessel. The handles are decorated with two circular ornaments each, that represent simplified rosette or volute. On the horizontally everted rim is a stylized ornament of radially molded ribs or egg-shaped cyma. The most prominent relief decoration is on the vessel where a fish with clearly depicted details is represented in low relief. The fish body is elongated with prominent caudal fin and pointed head with one hypertrophic eye. The gills are depicted as two arched bands while scales are represented as circular impressions. Above and under the central representation of the fish are depicted three considerably less prominent relief shapes (two below and one above) initially also assumed to represent fishes. However, their surface is smooth, that is to say, eyes, gills and scales depicted on the main representation are completely lacking. For our entirely different interpretation of this composition particularly important are scarcely visible details, i.e. lines, which extend from the back side of these forms and which actually are representations of stems. The fish on the bottom of the lead vessel is thus placed not in its natural environment but surrounded by a gastronomic setting of vegetables. Judging by the shape of the vegetables, it seems most probably that they are cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) that were, according to the texts of Pliny, Apicius and other Roman writers very widely used in Roman cuisine, as also suggested by a 2nd-3rd century mosaic from Tunisia (pl. I/3). The oval plates of the same shape as the one from Singidunum occur generally among the luxurious toreutic and pottery vessels. When metal vessels are concerned, particularly frequent are plates of this shape made of silver and bronze (pl. I/2), which were parts of luxurious sets for serving food. Similar terra sigillata oval plates (Drag. 39) were encountered along the Danube in Serbia (Singidunum, Margum Viminacium and Diana) as well as Guberevac on the Kosmaj Mountain. Finds of vessels, but also the workshop molds in the territory of Roman Dacia and Lower Moesia, confirm the existence of local centres that produced these characteristic forms. The glazed pottery plates of oval shape are characteristic of the 2nd century and in the territory of Dacia particularly frequent are specimens with a representation of fish on the bottom. Judging by the shape imitating oval plates of metal and pottery it seems that this lead vessel from Singidunum should most probably be dated in the period from the middle of the 2nd to the end of the 3rd century. The original location and context of this lead vessel with relief decoration is, however insufficiently known, although there is some indirect evidence. When this object was acquired for the museum it was noted that it had been discovered in Belgrade in the vicinity of the one time Batal-Mosque, which was located at the site of the south-eastern Roman necropolis along the Singidunum-Viminacium road. Against this background it is almost certain that this object originated from a Roman burial, most probably disturbed in the course of later building activities at this site. According to the vaguely identified place of discovery that coincides with the area of the south-eastern necropolis of Singidunum it is almost certain that this object was a grave good. It is uncertain, however, whether this plate from Singidunum was used as a substitutional votive offering or as part of a dining set. Certainly, the small dimensions of the vessel could hardly suggest its use as a real dining plate but its use in real life could however, be justified if we take it as a child's toy. Still waiting for more concrete analogies for this kind of find we are leaving unanswered the question whether it was a votive offering with representation of religious character or perhaps a much-loved toy placed as a grave good in a child's burial. The simple manufacture and resemblance to the pottery vessels of identical shape (Drag. 39), manufactured in the local provincial workshops suggest that the miniature plate was most probably made in one of the Singidunum or Viminacium foundries that, at the end of 2nd and in the 3rd century, produced various lead objects (sarcophagi, mirrors, icons).