ISic001883: Fragmentary lid of a marble pyxis

No image available

ID
ISic001883
Language
Ancient Greek
Status
draft
Text type
dedication
Object type
pyxis

Edition

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Apparatus criticus

  • Text based upon drawing

Physical description

Support

Description
Described as the lid of a marble pyxis, broken into a number of fragments. The statement that it is made of marble is based upon second-hand verbal report. No measurements are provided, and the profile drawing suggests the lid lacked any sort of central handle
Object type
pyxis
Object condition
No data
Dimensions
height: cm, width: cm, depth: cm

Material

Description
marble
Type > subtype
stone.unspecified > unverified

Inscription

Layout
Two lines of text, arranged in concentric, anticlockwise circular form on the lid.
Text condition
No data
Technique
chiselled
Pigment
No data
Lettering

Broken bar alphas, very small omicron, open omega, broad module, theta with detached bar, sigma with parallel top and bottom strokes; simple pi with equal length strokes. No measurements preserved.

Letter heights
Line 1: mm
Interlinear heights
Interlineation line 1 to 2: mm

Provenance

Place of origin
Haluntium
Provenance found
Found in unpublished excavations of c.1979 by G. Scibona at the extra-mural religious site of Piano Cupa, below the settlement of ancient Haluntium
Map

Current location

The object appears to be lost, and only recorded in private archival documentation of the excavation

Date

later fourth or earlier third, simply on the basis of object type and lettering (350 BC - 251 BC)
Evidence
lettering

Text type

dedication

commentary

The object is published on the basis of a surviving drawing in the archival notes of the archaeologist Giacomo Scibona, but the object itself appears to be lost. It is part of material found in excavation in the area of an extramural sanctuary in the locale of 'Piano Cupa', on the north-west side of anicent Haluntium (San Marco d'Alunzio). The area is said to have been active between the fourth and second century BC, and the object is described from a verbal report as being the lid of a marble pyxis. The lettering is presented in the drawing as very regular and neat, and so may be compatible with this claim, as opposed to being simply a graffito on a ceramic pyxis. The lettering would appear to fit an early hellenistic timeframe. Marble pyxides are high value rare items (for a full discussion with extensive catalogue of attested examples, none to my knowledge from Sicily (and none with an engraved text of which I am aware), see J. Gaunt, "The Classical Marble Pyxis and Dexilla’s Dedication", in "AMILLA. The Quest for Excellence. Studies Presented to Guenter Kopcke in Celebration of His 75th Birthday", ed. Robert B. Koehl, Philadelphia 2013, pp. 381-398). Giuffre Scibona notes that the personal names are attested in this region of Sicily in the Hellenistic period.

Bibliography

Digital editions
  • TM: -
  • EDR: -
  • EDH: -
  • EDCS: -
  • PHI: -
Printed editions

Citation and editorial status

Editor
Jonathan Prag
Principal contributor
Jonathan Prag
Contributors
Last revision
12/24/2025