Arheološki vestnik (Arli. vest.) 45. 1994. str. 99-122 99 Savus and Adsalluta Marjeta ŠAŠEL KOS Izvleček Abstract V članku je zbrano vse epigrafsko gradivo, ki se nanaša na Ali the epigraphic evidence for the cult of Adsalluta and kult Adsalute in Savusa. Gre za napise, ki so jih našli pri zaselku Savus is collected in the article. Most of the votive monuments Sava nasproti železniške postaje Hrastnik, in za napise brez vvere discovered at the site of Sava opposite the rail way station of najdiščnih podatkov iz Šentjurja na Polju blizu Loke pri Zidanem Hrastnik, vvhereas the exact provenance of those presently at mostu. Radeč in Hrastnika. Adsaluta in Savus sta bila pomembni Šentjur na Polju near Loka by Zidani most, at Radeče, and at lokalni vodni božanstvi. Kult Adsalute je bil v nasprotju s kultom Hrastnik is not entirely clear. Adsalluta and Savus vvere impor- Savusa, ki so ga častili ob celem toku Save, omejen na področje tant vvater deities; Savus vvas vvorshipped at several places along brzic med zaselkom Savo in Radečami, na kultno mesto ob bregu the river Sava, vvhile the cult of Adsalluta vvas locally limited Save pri zaselku Sava in na prejkone obstoječi sveti gaj in nasel- merely to the region of rapids betvveen the village of Sava and bino ob njeni kapelici. Ni izključeno, daje bil ta sveti kraj neke Radeče, to the cult site on the bank of the Sava, her hypothesized vrste božja pot domačinom, predvsem pa je boginja bdela nad sacred grove and the hamlet near her sanctuary. It cannot be varnim prehodom pogostih popotnikov, kajti vodna pota so v excluded that this sacred area could have been some kind of pil- prazgodovini, antiki in še dolgo v novi vek v bistveno večji meri grimage site for the local inhabitants. Mainly, hovvever, the god- kot danes izkoriščali za prevažanje najrazličnejših tovorov. dess vvatched over the safe passage of the frequent travellers, for in prehistory, the Roman period and up to the building of the southern railway, such vvater routes vvere utilized for the trans- port of the most varied cargoes to a much greater extent than today. Stone monuments vvith dedications to local deities eign and unimportant even to their nearby neighbours. have been found (and are stili frequently discovered) The pre-Roman deities vvorshipped by the inhab- throughout Italy and the Roman provinces in large itants of the southeastern Alpine region in the period of urban centres no less than in remote settlements, as the height of the Norican Kingdom and even prior to vvell as at isolated cult sites. These deities vvere vvor- this - vvhose names are knovvn solely from Roman shipped by a limited circle of believers in more or less period inscriptions - have not yet been studied exhaust- limited territories, and most often it is extremely diffi- ively. Only several general surveys are available.1 cult to distinguish ihe true nature and extent of the There are also fevv studies about the numerous individ- 2 sphere of influence of such deities. Often merely the ual deities. In this article I vvish to collect and evalu- name of Ihe deity vvas preserved on the inscriptions ate ali evidence (primarily epigraphic material) that vvithout any accompanying epithets or reliefs, such relers to the deities named Adsalluta and Savus. that local cults can be elucidated only vvith the most Several small altars dedicated to Savus and Adsalluta, precise study of the scarce available evidence. It is or merely to Adsalluta, vvere discovered at the end of necessary to determine the exact context of the find, to the 18th century and in the first half of the last century, become acquainted vvith the micro-topography of the and vvere published in the second half of the last cen- site and vvith any eventual local natural features, and lo tury and aftervvards. Most of them vvere found near the determine the ethnic and social status of the dedicants river Sava in ihe vicinity of the hamlet of Sava (fig. /), of the inscribed monuments. Each region, particularly located on the right bank of the river opposite the rail- if it vvas enclosed by natural borders such as hills and way station of Hrastnik and added to the administra- mountains, major rivers, deep valleys or svvamps, vvas tive district of Hrastnik after the second vvorld vvar (A. a vvorld unto itself; it vvas settled by people vvho spoke Miillner cites the name Na Savi for the hamlet, and Saudorfel in German, vvhile W. Schmid notes it as their ovvn language, had their ovvn customs, and vvor- Savedorfel). The monuments vvere first published by shipped their ovvn gods. The evidence indicates that R. Knabl,3 and they have often been cited aftervvards these gods, vvhose benevolence was often also sought in scholarly texts, although only in passing.4 The by travellers and even "pilgrims", vvere most often for- remains of a sanctuary to which the votive altars at the time vvhen Saria published it. The third line is belonged vvere also supposed to have been discovered almost illegible. in the hamlet of Sava. The sanctuary vvas cited fleet- ingly several times in the literature, and it vvas sup- 2. CIL III 5138. Mullner. Emona, no. 233 (= 1LS 3907 = AE 1934,71. RISt 362 (fig. 4). posed to have been excavated in 1917 by W. Schmid It vvas discovered in 1845 (E. Weber, RISt, incorrectly cites (see further belovv), although no report about the exca- the year as 1792) at Ribnikar field belovv the Škarje timber-chute, vations was published and nothing more vvas vvritten and is in the Joanneum. about the sanctuary. Savo et Ad/sallutae / sacr(um) / P(ublius) Ant(onius) Inscriptions from the hamlet of Sava. Altars vvhich Secundus / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito). vvere erected to both deities: jst or 2nd century A.D. 1. AIJ 27, dravving (fig. 2,3). 3. CIL III 11684. Mullner, Emona, n. 234 (fig. 5). The provenienee is othervvise unknovvn. It presently serves, as Found in 1873 in a field belovv the Škarje timber-chute, kept does no. 6, as the base of the left lateral pillar in the gates leading in the house of J. Koritnik, novv in the Regional Museum of to the graveyard of the church of St Jurij [George] in Šentjur na Celje: Polju (near Loka at Zidani Most). Both inscriptions vvere men- tioned by J. Orožen, Das Dekanat Tiiffer (Graz 1881), 447-448 Adsallut(ae) / et Savo / Aug(usto) sac(rum) / C(aiits) (St. Georgen am Felde); also see ANSI 265. Considering that six Cassius / Quietus I v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito). altars vvere discovered in situ at one site (at a timber-chute for ist or 2"d century A.D. lumber. called Škarje, near the hamlet of Sava), it may be sug- gested that the remaining four inscriptions, nos. 1,4.6 and 8, that vvere found in secondary use and lack provenienee, also came The beginning C in line 4 and the beginning Q in from the same site. although there is no ultimate proof for thii- line 5 vvere not noted on the stone by O. Hirschfeld, supposition. and he remarked that perhaps Miillner had only con- jeetured the letters. S(a\'o) et / Aclsallut(ae) / C. M[e]mm(ius) / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) l(aetus) m(erito). 4. AIJ 255, photo (fig. 6). Beginning of the lst century A.D. A small votive altar damaged along the bottom, discovered in 1910 during the demolition of the old church nave at Radeče near Zidani Most. It is novv vvalled into the vvestern vvall of the nevv The namen gentile could also be interpreted as church. The true site of discovery is thus unknovvn. but it is not Mammius. The stone is damaged more than it had been excluded that it vvas brought from the hamlet of Sava: Fig. I: The area during the late prehistoric and Roman periods. SI. I: Podoba dežele v antiki. S(avo) et Ats(allutae) / C. lul(ius) Ius(tus) / v(otuni) The inscription is presently much more vvorn than it s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito). had been when published by B. Saria in Al J. Lines 4 ist or 2nd century A.D. and 5 are almost illegible. 5. CIL III5134 (right section) = 11680 (entire altar). Miillner, Emona, no. 237 (fig. T). 7. CIL III 5135. Miillner, Emona. no. 235 (fig. 9). A small base for sculptures of both gods (?): the right side of A small votive altar. According to T. Mommsen, its prove- the base vvas found in 1792 - in ali probability at the Škarje tim- nience is uncertain. As the site vvas not noted in the Acts of the ber-chute, although this is not specifically mentioned - and vvas Historical Society for Camiola, P. Hitzinger wrongly included kept at the house of J. Koritnik (house no. 29). The left section the inscription among those from Ig, although Knabl had already vvas discovered in 1880; both are novv joined in the National suggested - certainly correctly - that the altar had been found at Museum in Ljubljana (see J. Binder, Zu C.I.L. III, 5134, Arch,- the hamlet of Sava. It has been in the National Museum in epigr. Mitth. 4, 1880, 224): Ljubljana since 1832: Savo et Ads(allutae) v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito) / Adsallutae / Aug(ustae) sacr(um) / G. Caecina / Faustinus. nn,i . „ Secundio. na jst or 7 century A.D. The period of the Principate The follovving altars vvere dedicated only to Adsal- 8. CIL III 11685.