Repository
Cyrene Museum, inv. number unknown.
Support
Rectangular base of white marble, broken off at lower left angle, with two large holes for a statue on top (0.595; 0.22;0.46).
Layout
Inscribed on front face, in three lines aligned at left.
Letters
0.016 to 0.025; no serifs, still slightly slanting mu, symmetrical nu, slightly smaller omicron and omega, slanting sigma.
Place of Origin
Date
Probably fourth century B.C. (lettering)
Findspot
Found before 1993 in a votive depot South of Cyrene pleiades; HGL : in the area of the Wadi El Aish .
Last recorded Location
Seen in 1993 by C. Dobias-Lalou in Shahat : Cyrene Museum .
Text constituted from
Transcription from stone (CDL).
Mohamed-Reynolds-Dobias-Lalou, 2007 Mohamed, F.A., Reynolds, J., Dobias-Lalou, C., 2007, Recently discovered inscriptions at Cyrene, in L. Gasperini, S. Marengo (eds.), Cirene e la Cirenaica nell'antichità: atti del convegno internazionale di studi, Roma-Frascati, 18-21 dicembre 1996, Ichnia9, Tivoli, 17-48 - see in bibliography , pp. 28-30, n. 1, whence SEG Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum, Leiden, then Amsterdam, 1923-1971, then 1979- - see in bibliography , 57.2004. Cf. Rosamilia, 2014 Rosamilia, E., 2014, Firme di scultori della Cirenaica: un'analisi del corpus, in Luni, M. (ed.), Cirene greca e romana, Monografie di archeologia libica36, Cirene Atene d'Africa7, Roma, 89-106 - see in bibliography , n. 4; Montanari, 2016 Montanari, M., 2016, Libi e Greci a Cirene: Zeus Ammon, in V. Purcaro, O. Mei, Cirene greca e romana II, Monografie di archeologia libica44, Cirene Atene d'Africa9, 15-26with a note by E. Rosamilia - see in bibliography , p. 20.
2 ἀνέθηκε : Mohamed-Reynolds-Dobias-Lalou, 2007 Mohamed, F.A., Reynolds, J., Dobias-Lalou, C., 2007, Recently discovered inscriptions at Cyrene, in L. Gasperini, S. Marengo (eds.), Cirene e la Cirenaica nell'antichità: atti del convegno internazionale di studi, Roma-Frascati, 18-21 dicembre 1996, Ichnia9, Tivoli, 17-48 - see in bibliography , Rosamilia, 2014 Rosamilia, E., 2014, Firme di scultori della Cirenaica: un'analisi del corpus, in Luni, M. (ed.), Cirene greca e romana, Monografie di archeologia libica36, Cirene Atene d'Africa7, Roma, 89-106 - see in bibliography ἀνέθηκεν
Hipparkhos fils de Nausis a consacré (ce monument) à Ammon. Oeuvre de [.] iôn.
Hipparchos son of Nausis dedicated (this monument) to Ammon. Work of [.] ion.
Hipparchos figlio di Nausis ha dedicato (questo monumento) ad Ammone. Opera di [.] ion.
Here is the most ancient epigraphical mention of Ammon, the only other one of Hellenistic date being IGCyr100200 in the second century B.C. Found by chance together with IGCyr108500, IGCyr108600, IGCyr108700, IGCyr108900, IGCyr109000, IGCyr109100, IGCyr109200, IGCyr109300, IGCyr109400, IGCyr109500, IGCyr109600, this is the only inscription of the group referring clearly to Ammon. Some pieces of sculpture found with them are also related to that god. See the commentary at IGCyr134800.
Another interesting feature is the rare formula with ἔργον for the sculptor's signature, perhaps also known at Euesperides (IGCyr091600). The only approaching formula has the verb ἠργάσσατο at IGCyr019000. In fact this formula, with letters as tall as those in the dedication, would rather originate from the dedicator and whould then not be exactly an artist's signature.
The sculptor, unknwown elsewhere, is probably a Cyrenaean, as his name is mentioned without an ethnic, but this is no inescapable argument.
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All citation, reuse or distribution of this work must contain a link back to DOI: http://doi.org/10.6092/UNIBO/IGCYRGVCYR and the filename (IGCyr000000 or GVCyr000), as well as the year of consultation.