Socrates Menorah
- Date
- 1st half of 4th C. AD?, Roman
- Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
- S63.050
- Material
- Marble, Stone
- Object Type
- Sculpture
- Sculpture Type
- Furnishing
- Inscription Text
(a) Σωκράτης [ - - - - το]ῦ οἴκου [ - - - - ] (b) [ - - - ]ΣΙ[ - - - - - - - - γ]λύφου.
- Inscription Translation
- (a) “Sokrates [ - - - ] of the house (i.e., the synagogue) [ - - - ]”
(b) “[ - - - ] of the sculptor.” - Inscription Comment
- Text and translation of G. Petzl.
- Site
- Sardis
- Sector
- Syn
- Trench
- Syn 63
- Locus
- Syn MH Above Floor
- B-Grid Coordinates
- E58.6 - E59.1 / N4.2 *96.55 - 96.40
- Findspot
- Syn MH, S side; see Fig. 5. [See also S63.060, S63.063, IN63.078, and IN63.130 for additional findspot information]
- Description
This was originally a seven-branched candlestick with a central vertical stem. Each branch, oval in section, has an incised lozenge pattern (L. 0.05, W. 0.022), carefully but monotonously cut. This pattern is to suggest stylized leaves of rhomboid shape. Between the branches is acanthus scroll open-work. This rinceau design starts and ends with flowers, arranged so that the long wave or stem rolls on to the next flower while a short arm curls inward to touch one of the two petals of the flower. The tops of the branches protruded through a cross bar, with a four-petalled rosette within the border on the end. The inscription is in the tabula, on two sides.
The work is highly competent, and the virtuosity of the open-work, done principally with the chisel, is outstanding. The surface is carefully smoothed but not glossy. Both epigraphic and archaeological evidence suggest the 4th C. A.D.
- Condition
Large-grained white marble, reddish discoloration.
Outer two branches of candlestick on one side with part of horizontal inscribed cross bar; small fragments of two other branches, and piece of central stem preserved. Cement adheres to fragment of central stem.
- Dimensions
- H. 0.565; radius of outer branch 0.47; second branch 0.34; section of branch 0.057; distance between branches 0.085. Inscription L. 0.17; H. of letters 0.032.
- Comments
- See Also
- See also: M14, No. 556.
- Bibliography
- Published BASOR 174, 36-38, fig. 20; Hanfmann-Detweiler, Surprising Discoveries II, 432, fig. 4; Mitten, New Look 65. Mitten, Ancient Synagogue, fig. 11. The inscription and the archaeological evidence will be treated by J.H. Kroll and A.R. Seager in a forthcoming volume in this series on the Syn.
- Author
- NHR