Support: Fragmentary Chiote chalice, broken off at left and bottom, keeping one handle and about one half of the belly with its upper edge (w: 0.078 × h: 0.08 × d: 0.003; diameter 0.127).

Layout: Scratched on the outer side of the belly, at 0.009 to 0.026 from the upper rim.

Letters: 0.002 to 0.006; right-to-left, three-strokes iota, crossed theta, san for sibilant, trident-shaped chi.

Date: Las third of seventh century BC (context, lettering).

Findspot: Found by M. Luni in 2006 at Cyrene ➚: temple of the Dioscuri on the Acropolis ridge (once said 'tempio ipetrale').

Place of origin: Findspot.

Last recorded location: Cyrene Museum (Storeroom of the Italian mission), CA06S3US3. Studied by O.Mei in 2006 at Shahat: in the Storeroom of the Italian missions. Not seen by IGCyr team.

Text constituted from: Transcription from photograph (SMM).

Apparatus

French translation

[---]sarkhos a consacré (scil. cette coupe) aux Dioscures.

English translation

[---]sarchos dedicated (scil. this cup) to the Dioscuri.

English translation

[---]sarchos ha dedicato (scil. questa coppa) ai Dioscuri.

Arabic translation

[---] سارخوس كرَّس (هذه الكأس) للديوسكوري.

Commentary

The very short vertical stroke preserved at the beginning of the dedicant's name might be part of a mu or a san. So the very common Cyrenaean name Μνάσαρχος would be a favourite, but Σώσαρχος, suggested by Marengo, would also fit the gap perfectly.

This graffito has demonstrated the place of the Dioskoureion already mentioned by Pindar (Pyth. 5. 9-11).

The trident-shaped chi, along with other letters already attested in the archaic alphabet of Cyrene, was probably brought by Rhodian immigrants. Two other instances of that chi occur at IGCyr001920² and IGCyr000430² (see now Dobias-Lalou 2015, pp. 69-70). This fact has chronological implications. The Rhodian immigration has been traditionally linked with Battos II's invitation to all Greeks around 580/570 BC. However, argues that besides Herodotos' story exists a strong Rhodian tradition of participating in the foundation around 630 BC., of which the trident-shaped chi would be a proof, whence a possible date of this dedication already in the last third of the seventh century BC. Moreover, this shape of chi belongs, amongst the three cities of Rhodes, to Lindos only and bings new light into the foundation of Cyrene.

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All citation, reuse or distribution of this work must contain a link back to DOI: https://doi.org/10.60760/unibo/igcyrgvcyr2 and the filename (IGCyr000000 or GVCyr000), as well as the year of consultation.

Images

Fig. 1. Photo of igcyr110100 Dedication to the Dioscuri

Fig. 2. Drawing of igcyr110100 Dedication to the Dioscuri

Maps