• latw-114-1
    Fragment of a marbled omphalos phiale with graffito from Miletus. (Courtesy of the Vedat Nedim Tör Museum, Istanbul)

Fragment of a marbled omphalos phiale with graffito from Miletus

Date
Second to third quarter of 6th c BC, Lydian or Late Lydian
Museum
Balat, Miletus Museum, Z 05.6.125
Museum Inventory No.
Z 05.6.125
Material
Ceramic
Object Type
Pottery, Graffito
Pottery Shape
Omphalos Phiale
Pottery Ware
Lydian Painted - Marbled
Pottery Attribution
Site
Miletus
Description
Hemispherical bowl, which originally had a boss in its center. Painted in a reddish brown to black glaze on a thin slip yellowish to light brown hue. Both sides are completely covered with marbling, consisting of adjacent stripes. Approximately half of the bowl is preserved, central boss is missing. Diameter mouth 18.8 cm, height 6 cm.

In the upper third of the outside, there is a graffito, of which eleven letters are preserved (height 0.5–0.7 cm). N. Ehrhardt (University of Münster, Germany) restores and translates it: “Drymon dedicated (it) to Aphrodite.”

Comments
Found in the extramural sanctuary of Aphrodite at Miletus, in the same deposit as No. 113 and presumably belonging to the same dedication. For the archaeological context see No. 113. Drymon, the dedicator mentioned in the votive inscription, is a Greek, possible Milesian name, as N. Ehrhardt points out. Thus it was a Greek who dedicated Lydian vessels to a Greek goddess in his probable home town.
See Also
Kerschner, “Lydians and Ionians”.
Bibliography
Ehrhardt and Kerschner forthcoming; on the deposit: Pantaleon and Senff 2008.
Author
MK