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