MITTELBRONN
Moselle, France.
Situated
3 km W of Phalsbourg. A pottery was discovered here
in 1952 and excavated in 1953-59. The factory turned
out both plain and decorated terra sigillata, ordinary and
glazed ware, as well as tiles. Four kilns, two of them for
tiles, have been excavated along with a shed and several
adjoining structures. The greater part of the decorated
terra sigillata manufactured at Mittelbronn bears the
stamp of Satto, the rest that of Cibisus and the Master
of the Shields and Helmets. Form Drag. 37 is the only
one made. Some 20 Mittelbronn potters also turned out
plain vases, mainly in forms Drag. 18/31, 32, 33, and 40
but also Drag. 38 and 46 as well as a few Ludowici
forms. It is not likely that Satto was still working himself
at Mittelbronn, but his stamp was apparently being exploited. On the other hand, we find five potters who had
previously worked at Chémery turning out plain vases
at Mittelbronn (identical stamps), thus there was continuity between the two potteries. Cibisus had previously worked at Ittenviller, where his output seems to have been considerable; it was lower at Mittelbronn where,
judging from the style of his ornamentation, he arrived
ca. 150-160. It is interesting to find Satto and Cibisus
vases made in the same workshop since it shows that
Satto vases were still being turned out ca. 160-170; this
was proved when a Satto decorative stamp was found
on a Cibisus vase at Mittelbronn as a result of a firing
accident. Mittelbronn stopped producing terra sigillata
ca. 175, and was abandoned until the beginning of the
3d c. After that only ordinary ware and tiles were manufactured.
The museum at Sarrebourg has an archeological collection.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
M. Lutz,
L'atelier de Saturninus et de
Satto à Mittelbronn, Gallia Suppl. 22 (1970).
M. LUTZ
