PHRC034 : Dedication to Arsinoe Philadelphos, Palaipaphos - Cyprus (270-240 BC) Dedication

This large limestone block differs from the others inscribed objects of Arsinoe Philaldelphos in the Paphos area. Because of its size and shape it cannot be interpreted as an altar. On the contrary, comparison with other similar specimens from Cyprus (Yalousa) and Halikarnassos suggests that this block was either part of a wall or a boundary stone indicating the limits of an area consecrated to the cult of Arsinoe inside the sanctuary of Aphrodite at Palaipaphos.

Permanent ID http://s.phrc.it/phrc034

Current location

Kouklia, Local Archaeological Museum Palaipaphos

Inv. No. KM 190 (previously 127)

Support

Object Type: Block

Rectangular block with broken on top and below. The surface and the inscription are worn.

Material: Limestone

Dimensions:
Height: max.65 cm
Width (shaft): 35 cm; top: 36.5 cm
Depth: 27 cm

Layout

Two lines of text occupying the high part of the front face.

Well-formed letters of the reign of Ptolemy II: small O, Σ with diverging horizontal bars, A with horizontal crossbar, Φ with the circle replaced by an arch, large N and H.

Letter height between 1.6 cm (O) and 3 cm (Φ).

History

Original Place: Palaipaphos, sanctuary of Aphrodite Paphia

Date: Between 270 and 240 BC

Justification: Formulary and lettering

Provenance: Found at Evretadhes, a depression east of the hill of the sanctuary of Aphrodite.

Bibliography

Text constituted from: I.Paphos 8.

Other editions:

See also: Nicolaou 1964, p. 211, no. 22; Nicolaou 1993, p. 227, cat. j; Anastassiades 1998, p. 138, no. 8; Caneva 2014, no. 26.

Images: I.Paphos, fig. 39.

Further bibliography:

Online record: PHI

Edition

Ἀρσ[ι]νόης
Φιλαδέλφου

Translation

(S. Caneva)
Of Arsinoe Philadelphos

Traduzione

(S. Caneva)
Di Arsinoe Philadelphos

Commentary

Because of its size, this block stands out from the dossier of Arsinoe’s dedications in the Paphos area and cannot be interpreted as an altar, but rather as part of a bigger structure (a wall?) or as a boundary stone indicating the limits of a part of the sanctuary of Aphrodite which was consecrated to Arsinoe Philadelphos (Caneva 2020). The only two comparable specimens for shape and size are a large block from Yalousa, in the north-east of Cyprus (Perdrizet 1896, p. 359, n° 9; Perdrizet 1906, p. 156), for which the editor proposed an interpretation as a boundary stone, and another block recently discovered near Halikarnassos (Diler et al. 2010, p. 193-194; SEG LXI 867). The most plausible interpretation is therefore that the sanctuary of Aphrodite Paphia at Palaipaphos hosted an area consecrated to the cult of Arsinoe Philadelphos, just as was the case of the sanctuary of Apollo Amyklos / Reshef Mikal at Idalion (Masson 1968, p. 400-402).

Author:

Stefano Caneva, on 02.03.2019

Revisions:

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