IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

C.735. Funerary curse

Description: Small rectangular limestone coffin.
Text: Inscribed on one short end (w: 0.29 x h: 0.30) which is chipped at the edges and in the centre.
Letters: 0.02; lunate epsilon, lunate sigma, cursive omega and uncial alpha in line 3, letter 2; very rough and poorly aligned. Guide lines visible.

Date: First - third century CE

Findspot: Cyrene: findspot unrecorded; found before 1941.
Original location: Unknown.
Last recorded location: Cyrene Museum.

Interpretive

Ἐρωτίω τοῦ
Δωϲιθέου τίϲ
κ’ἄν ἀνύξη ἔχε̣ι̣
⟦τὰ̣ν ἀρ[άν]⟧

Diplomatic

ΕΡΩΤΙΩΤΟΥ
ΔΩϹΙΘΕΟΥΤΙϹ
ΚΑΝΑΝΥΞΗΕΧ..
⟦Τ.ΝΑΡ[..]⟧

3: The last two letters appear to be ϹΙ.
4: The final line has been deliberately erased.

English translation

Translation by: Editors

Erotio (scil. daughter) of Dositheos; whoever should open (scil. the tomb) has the curse

Commentary

For the curse formula compare e.g. at Athens ἔχι ταύτην [ἀ]ράν (IG II.2 13336, available at PHI 345566) or, at Chios, ἔχ(ῃ) τὴν ἀρὰν, SEG 15,545, available at PHI 246886. Both of these are Christian, and go on to define the applicable curse.

Bibliography:
Text constituted from: Transcription (Reynolds).

Images

   Fig. 1. Face (Joyce Reynolds, I.85)