FOREWORD 7

ARGUMENT 9

I. FUNERARY RITES AND RITUALS IN THE ROMAN WORLD 11

II. APULUM. GEOGRAPHICAL SETTING 17

III. EARLY BEGINNINGS OF URBAN LIFE AT APULUM 19

IV. HISTORY OF RESEARCH IN THE NORTHERN CEMETERY 27

IV.1. The 1981–1985 excavation results (authors: George Bounegru, Gheorghe Anghel, Ioan Alexandru Aldea, Cloșca L. Băluță, Radu Ciobanu, Horia Ciugudean, Vasile Moga, Alexandru Popa, Ioan Șerban) 28

IV.2. Recent research in the northern cemetery 30

V. FUNERARY RITES 33 V.1. Cremation graves 34

V.1.1. Ustrinum cremations 35

V.1.2. Bustum cremations 36

V.2. Inhumations 37

VI. GRAVE GOODS 39

VI.1. Notes on coinage deposition in graves 40

VI.2. Food offerings 44

VI.2.1. Pottery 45

VI.2.1.1.Wares for liquids 46

VI.2.1.2.Vessels for half-liquid or solid foods 50

VI.2.1.3. Ritual vessels 51

VI.2.2. Conclusions on pottery grave goods 53

VI.3. Lamps (lucernae) 54

VI.4. Terracota/ Toys 55

VI.5. Adornment objects and dress accessories 56

VI.5.1. Hairpins (aci crinali/ comatoria) 56

VI.5.2. Brooches 58

VI.5.3. Beads 63

VI.5.4. Pendants, amulets (amuletum). 64

VI.5.5. Bracelets 67 VI.5.6. Rings (anulae) 68

VI.5.7. Earrings (inaures) 70

VI. 6. Pieces of military equipment 71

VI.6.1. Cingulum hooks 73

VI.6.2. Cingulum buttons 74

VI.6.3. Appliques 75

VI.6.4. Strap end fittings 76

VI.6.5. Shield boss 76

VI.7. Iron objects 78

VI.7.1. Iron key (clavus) 78

VI.7.2. Knives 79

VI.8. Glass objects 81

VII. MONUMENTS 85

Stone sarcophagi 87

Monument fragments 87

VIII. CONCLUSIONS REGARDING THE FUNERARY RITES AND RITUALS IN THE NORTHERN CEMETERY AT APULUM, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE 1981–1985 EXCAVATION CAMPAIGNS 89

APPENDIX 1: CATALOGUE OF GRAVES (authors: George Bounegru, Gheorghe Anghel, Ioan Alexandru Aldea, Cloșca L. Băluță, Radu Ciobanu, Horia Ciugudean, Vasile Moga, Alexandru Popa, Ioan Șerban) 99

APPENDIX 2: LATE ROMAN ARTIFACTS FOUND IN THE STRATUM OR IN LATE CONTEXTS 123

APPENDIX 3: CATALOGUE OF THE MONUMENTS FOUND IN THE 1981–1985 CAMPAIGNS 127

APPENDIX 4: IDENTIFIED COINS 131

ABBREVIATIONS: 133

BIBLIOGRAPHY: 135

INDEX 147

REZUMAT 153

EXPLANATION OF PLATES 159

PLATES 161