Support: Fragment of fluted column of large-grained white marble (w: 0.17 × h: 0.14; diameter 0.055); broken along the edges and chipped on the surfaces.

Layout: Inscribed within two of the surviving flutes.

Letters: 0.025; no serifs, dissymmetrical nu.

Date: Fifth or fourth century BC (lettering).

Findspot: Found in 1973 at Cyrene ➚: Enclosed sanctuary of Demeter and Kore: area E12/13, E, 2.

Place of origin: Findspot.

Last recorded location: Cyrene Museum (Storeroom of the American excavations), 74-426. Seen by J. Reynolds at Shahat: in the Storeroom of the American excavations. Not seen by IGCyr team.

Text constituted from: Transcription from previous editor.

Apparatus

French translation

[---] []phoros [a consacré?](scil. ce monument) à [Dèm?]èter [et Korè?].

English translation

[---] To [Dem?]eter [and Kore? ---]phoros [dedicated?].

Italian translation

[---] A [Dem?]etra [e a Kore? ---]phoros [ha dedicato?].

Commentary

The first letter (incomplete) of line 1 is surely tau, so that Δάματρι is very plausible, although we cannot see any hint of the incomplete allpha read by Reynolds; καὶ Κόραι may have followed, if the gap was only of one letter, but this is not compulsory.

At l. 2 Reynolds' idea that the verb stood at the end is quite convincing, as well as her idea that it was preceded by the name of the dedicator; what survives of the latter's mention might be either the end of a man's name (not followed by his father's name), e.g. Nikephoros as in IRCyr2020 C.50 or of a title such as τελεσφόρος, which would correspond to the many dedications by τελεσφορέντες already known at Cyrene for Apollo and Artemis. It should be stressed that the compound adjective may be either a masculine of a feminine and would thus be appropriate also for Demeter and Kore's cult. However, if ever it is the adjective, a distribution of name and father's name between the end of line 1 and the beginning of line 2 without mention of Kore would produce a better balanced distribution.

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Images

Fig. 1. Face of igcyr107500 Dedication to Demeter and Kore

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