A Set of Miniature Mugs From Poieneşti (Romania)

Atypical Deposition in the Periphery of a 2nd—3rd Century Ad Necropolis

Bibliographic Data

ID22041475
AuthorsLavinia Grumeza (0000-0001-6076-5708, Institute of Archaeology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences), D Spânu (0009-0007-8825-6092, Romanian Academy)
Year2026
Issue2(59)
Pages38-51
Publication date2026-06-30
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueArchaeology and Early History of Ukraine (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2227-4952 • E-ISSN: 2708-6143
PublisherInstitute of Archaeology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.37445/adiu.2026.02.03
OpenAlexW7166853207
LanguageEN
References cited4

At the Roman-period site of Poieneşti-Măgură (Vaslui County, Romania), an unusual ceramic deposit (pit 1759a) was found, consisting of five small mugs. Unlike typical funerary contexts, this deposit — located at the southern boundary of the Poieneşti-Vвrteşcoiu necropolis — lacks human remains, suggesting a non-funerary yet deliberate function. The vessels, carefully arranged and technologically refined, reflect influences from Greco-Roman and «barbarian» traditions, and may represent votive or foundation offerings marking the sacral limits of the cemetery. A second nearby pit (1759b), containing handmade pottery, further supports the hypothesis of intentional ritual deposition. Comparative evidence from Dacian, Sarmatian, and Roman provincial contexts suggests that these features exemplify cultural hybridity and religious transformation in frontier zones, where cosmopolitan models were reinterpreted within local symbolic frameworks

Frontier · Hybridity · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis

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