II.1.1 63. Incertum (sacred property?), Classical-Hellenistic.
Monument
Type
Wall fragment.
Material
Clay.
Dimensions (cm)
H., W., Th., Diam..
Additional description
Attica, BG open vessel, Classical-Hellenistic periods.
Find place
Berezan.
Find context
Unknown.
Find circumstances
Found in 1970, excavations of K.S. Gorbunova.
Modern location
Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation.
Institution and inventory
The State Hermitage Museum, Б.70.without number.
Autopsy
August 2016.
Epigraphic field
Position
Wall, exterior. Originally inscribed on complete vessel.
Lettering
Graffito.
Letterheights (cm)
0.9-1.1
Text
Category
Incertum (sacred property?)
Date
Classical-Hellenistic.
Dating criteria
Ceramic date.
<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/>[- -]Ι̣ΡΑ
</ab>
</div>Apparatus criticus
Translation
Commentary
Narrow, elongated letters, for which there was no practical need: it does not seem that space would have been an issue. At the left break, there is a clear indication that a vertical preceded rho: it may have been an iota or eta. ἱρά would be a common Ionic form of ἱερά, so a designation of sacred property is very possible here.
A divine name Ἡρα cannot be excluded.
Finally, a couple of female personal names ending in -ηρα are also attested: Ἀνθηρά (LGPN V4-1792: IV cent. B.C.E., Perinthos-Herakleia, Thrace, IG II2 10070; = FRA 6031) and Κλησιθήρα (LGPN V4-30173: IV cent. B.C.E. Aigai, Macedonia (Bottiaia), SEG XXXV 807), but we would expect a Genitive form if this was an ownership inscription. Three more names are attested later, in the II-III cent. C.E.
Images
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