Anthemion Stele Fragment with Lydian Inscription
- Date
- Later 5th or 4th C. BC?, Late Lydian (Persian)?
- Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
- IN67.001
- Material
- Marble, Stone
- Object Type
- Sculpture
- Sculpture Type
- Stele
- Inscription Text
eś ṣạdmēś osk anolạ [ ~ 6 ]a?ṛ[tim]ul akit esλ ṣạ[dmēλ ~ 3]
- Inscription Translation
This inscription and this grave stele are of [name lost] the son of Artimus. Now who to this inscription [or this grave stele does damage . . .]
- Inscription Comment
- Site
- Sardis
- Sector
- B
- Trench
- BE-H
- Locus
- B BE-H
- B-Grid Coordinates
- E18.05 / N81.95 *98.35
- Findspot
- Reused by Roman builders in N wall of BE-H. Found in core of W end of wall while removing loose material prior to restoration.
- Description
The carefully cut ornament includes part of a downward-pointed lotus with five thin leaves, a concave leaf-like ending to the lower part of a volute, and a rounded part above. The finial projected sideways from the shaft. The leaf-like volute end continues an archaic tradition (cf. Cat. 46 Figs. 150-151), but the thin irregular lotus leaves are post-archaic. The overall composition was probably like Cat. 45 (Figs. 148-149) and the stele from Daskylion (Borchhardt, Epichorische Reliefs, pl. 44:1, here Fig. 152).
This inscription and this grave stele are of [name lost] the son of Artimus. Now who to this inscription [or this grave stele does damage . . .]
Terming the inscription “one of the most representative and careful examples of Lydian epigraphy,” Gusmani concurs in dating the fragment to the later 5th or 4th C. B.C.
- Condition
”Local” marble; reddish accretion.
Preserved are center and lower r. parts of anthemion (finial) and top of shaft with first two lines of inscription. Split diagonally and at lower edge; part of l. side missing. Back very roughly dressed if at all.
- Dimensions
- W. 038; P.H. (r. end) 0.26; Th. 0.125.
- Comments
- For the general type see also Richter, Archaic Gravestones, 40 reconstruction of painted ornament with downward-pointed leaves.
- See Also
- Bibliography
- Published: BASOR191, 14f., fig. 15; Gusmani, Neuen Lydischen Fund, 52f., no. 70;Gusmani, Sardis M3, 3-6, fig. 3, no. A I 2; Hanfmann, Stelai, 44, fig. 6 (H-48).
- Author
- GMAH