Artefact ID | 1183 |
TM ID | TM 78194 |
Findspot (DEChriM ID) | - () | Class | Funerary element, Textual |
Material | Wood |
Writing medium | Label |
Text content | Documentary, Subliterary |
Language | Greek |
Description | P.Eirene II 11: Mummy label Wooden label measuring 18 x 12.5 cm and 2.5 cm thick in the form of an imperfect tabula ansata with only a 5 cm long, trapezoidal extension on one narrow side, through which a hole has been drilled. Two further holes are located halfway up the long sides. The wood is medium to light brown and only roughly worked on its surface. The tablet bears a three-line Greek inscription on each side, the broad majuscules of which were painted on in red ink, probably with a brush-like writing implement (ed.pr.). On the recto side, there is a cross before the label "Apollo, son of Mena, Sicilian"; an underlying previous inscription refers to the same person. On the backside, another cross and, "Apollo, son of Mena, from Koma" – a village located in the Herakleopolites nome (TM Geo 1152). About the interpretation of Sikele for Sikelos, "Sicilian", see the suggestion in Delattre and Worp 2012: 92, n. 4 a. |
Selection criteria | Christian symbols/gestures/isopsephy |
Date from | 300 |
Date to | 399 |
Dating criteria | Dated to 7/8th c. on palaeographic grounds (mainly because of the alpha with broken middle stroke) in ed. pr. but re-assigned to 4th c. in Delattre and Worp 2012: 92: this alpha appears in Greek epigraphy as early as 3rd c. BCE. In other 4/5th c. Christian inscriptions, see for instance I.Oasis p. 69 no. 12 or I.Oasis p. 69 no. 13. |
Absolute/relative date | Relative date |
Archaeological context | Bought on the antiquities market. |
Accession number | Vienna, Nationalbibliothek, Tamerit H 405 |