PHRC031 : Dedication to Arsinoe Philadelphos, Palaipaphos - Cyprus (270-240 BC) Dedication

This dedication to Arsinoe is written in three lines, regardless of the word ending, on a very irregular rectangular altar with a shallow depression on the upper surface. Such a small altar would serve to offer vegetables and perfumes to Arsinoe Philadelphos in the sanctuary of Aphrosite Paphia.

Permanent ID http://s.phrc.it/phrc031

Current location

Kouklia, Local Archaeological Museum Palaipaphos

Inv. No. KM 182 (previously 410)

Support

Object Type: Altar

Small rectangular altar with an irregularly worked shaft and a shallow (0.3 cm deep) depression on the upper surface. The upper cornice has an irregular height varying between 2 and 1.5 cm. The bottom of the shaft presents a small base without cornice.

Material: Limestone

Dimensions:
Height: 23 cm cm
Width (shaft): 14 cm; (upper cornice) 15 cm
Depth (shaft): 14 cm; (upper cornice) 15 cm

Layout

The text is written in three lines regardless of word ending, directly below the upper cornice.

Very irregular letters of varying size; letter shape of the reign of Ptolemy II: see in particular Σ with clearly diverging bars and the asymmetrical N.

Letter height between 2 cm for Φ (line 2) and 0,5 cm for O (line 1).

History

Original Place: Palaipaphos, sanctuary of Aphrodite Paphia

Date: Between 270 and 240 BC

Justification: Formulary and lettering

Provenance: Found in the village of Kouklia.

Bibliography

Text constituted from: I.Paphos 5

Other editions:

See also: Nicolaou 1993, p. 226-227, cat. k; Anastassiades 1998, p. 138, no. 9; Caneva 2014, no. 21; Caneva 2020.

Images: Nicolaou 1993, PL. LX 5. anche I.Paphos, fig. 36.

Further bibliography:

Online record:

Edition

Ἀρσινόη -
ς Φιλαδέ -
λφου

Translation

(S. Caneva)
Of Arsinoe Philadelphos

Traduzione

(S. Caneva)
Di Arsinoe Philadelphos

Commentary

This is the smallest object preserving a dedication to Arsinoe among those found in the Palaipaphos area. The vvery shallow upper surface could only serve to burn vegetable offerings. The separation of the dedication in three lines regardless of the word ending is typical of low quality altars of Arsinoe (cf. PHRC030). On the cult of Arsinoe Philadelphos in the Paphos area, see the commentary to PHRC014 (Paphos) and PHRC030 (Palaipahos).

Author:

Stefano Caneva, on 02.03.2019

Revisions:

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