Support: Limestone sarcophagus with double slope lid surmounted by a platform for a half-statue (wide 0.95: long 2.33).

Layout: Inscribed on the lid (on a surface wide 1.75).

Letters: Unknown; mu slightly slanting, rho with angular loop.

Date: Probably fourth or third century BC (context, lettering).

Findspot: Found between 1955 and 1957 by A. Rowe at Cyrene ➚: North Necropolis, sarcophagus N 81.II.

Place of origin: Findspot.

Last recorded location: Seen by J.C. Thorn before 2005 in situ, in the North Necropolis. Not found by IGCyr team.

Text constituted from: Transcription from previous mentions and Thorn's drawing (CDL).

French translation

Kartaiménès.

English translation

Kartaimenes.

Italian translation

Kartaimenes.

Arabic translation

كارتيمينيس

Commentary

Rowe, who excavated thoroughly the area, gave the name in block-letters as complete. An unpublished drawing by J. Thorn kept in the archive of the Society for Libyan Studies proves that he saw the inscription with the two last letters remaining invisible. We follow here Rowe's transcription. Alternatively the name was perhaps abbreviated, which would better match a central layout. It is also difficult to know whether the placement of the letters given by Thorn is exact; if it is, this would mean that the lid was already damaged when the inscription was added, following the edge of the broken part.

The personal name Kartaimenes is not common and not attested elsewhere in Cyrenaica. Its first element, known also in some Homeric compounds, is a clue for an archaic formation.

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Images

Fig. 1. Drawing of igcyr118720 Epitaph

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