The Lapidarium of the Aquincum Museum
This lapidarium, including stone monuments found in the Aquincum area, is the largest in Hungary, and perhaps (outside Italy) one of the largest in Europe. Its richness may be best compared to that of the Hungarian National Museum, which also harbors some 250 stone monuments from Aquincum. To date, the Aquincum lapidarium contains over 1000 inventorized items. This material consists of grave stones, votive and construction inscriptions, architectural carvings and, to a lesser extent, utilitarian stone objects (eg. grinding stones). This source material, which may be considered first rate both in quantitative and qualitative terms, not only shows the history, composition, religious life and military developments of the local society. It is also considered a rich source of information in international studies of antiquity. Monuments without inscriptions are well known pieces of art history and serve as sources in the historical study of attire, architecture and industry. Stone monuments with inscriptions make up more than half of the inventorized material. Most of these were published during the first half of this century in Volume III of Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum . That work was compiled in cooperation with notable experts in classical archaeology such as Th. Mommsen and A. von Domaszewszki . Of the Hungarian scholars, Bálint Kuzsinszky, Sándor Fröhlich, Károly Torma, Lajos Nagy, András Alföldi, János Szilágyi, Tibor Nagy, Géza Alföldy and András Mócsy published the most numerous and significant specimens. Since the beginning of this century, the journal entitled Année Épigraphique has provided a summary of epigraphic monuments published during the previous year. In principle, therefore, all such monuments will appear in the international (as well as domestic) literature. It may also be said, however, that almost the entire material is systematically included into various corpora or is discussed by important books as a source material. The majority of sculpted monuments in the Aquincum lapidarium are made up by relief decorated grave stones (tombsotnes, burial constructions, sarcophagi). Busts of the deceased, votive scenes and the depictions of burial feasts are shown on may such grave stones as well as horsecart representations. Wreath-decorated grave stones form a local group in Aquincum. Even a lupa Capitolina may be seen among the grave stone decorations. Stone slabs showing mythological scenes are also shown on grave monuments (Priamos table). Sarcophagi were also richly decorated (figures of Attius, Genius, Eros, the gate of the Underworld etc.). Carvings occur on altar stones as well (snake decorated altar). A varied ornamental array of architectural elements occurs in this material as well (masked column heads, sill fragments etc.). In several cases, the remains of various paints may be discovered on these monuments (eg. the grave stone of Bitus). The three dimensional sculpted monuments of the Aquincum cllection include grave statues, divine figures (Nemesis-Fortuna), the statues of emperors and governors, portraits etc. These artistic creations have a highly appreciated position among the monuments of imperial, more precisely Pannonian sculpting. In addition to the sculpted monuments made from local limestone (eg. the portrait of Marcus Aurelius), the collection also contains imported marble artifacts (eg. a governor's torso). The sculpture monuments of the lapidarium may be dated to the imperial period, that is the AD2nd to 4th centuries. Antique sculptures from Aquincum are also kept in the collections of the Hungarian National Museum (marble head of Libera).
