Sardinian Ostracon
Punic Spell
Metadata
- Find Type
- Acquisition
- Material
- clay | sherd (for ostracon)
- Updated by
- James D. Moore, 2026-08-23
- Date (Composition)
- Gregorian -200 to 100
General Notes
Amadasi Guzzo interprets this as a manumision ostracon, but a close examation dispells the idea. It is, instead, more akin to a curse tablet. This would better support the media as well, since an ostracon can serve such inpromtu or performative situtations in which a ritual against another includes a short written curse. The idea that a declaration of manumition would be written in two short lines on an ostracon is hardly likely. Even if it were a statement of release, that too would better suit a ritual context rather than a social context (Moore).
Textual Notes
1: ˀYL. Amasasi Guzzu reads ˀBYL, but there is certainly no B in the photograph.
... : for the third word A.-G. reads KTYB, and interprets as a passive participle "is written." This is highly unlikely. The passive participle ktūb is hardly to be written with a -Y- for the long vowel ū.
One expects to read ˀYL as "ram." It is unlikely the DN of a name -el, given that no other attestation so far is spelled ˀyl, though this would be the easiest solution to the text. That is, to interpret it as PN-el grieves B. ...
LYGˀ : Following A.-G. but reading as a C-stem (Y-stem) infinitive from root YGv. It must be a transitive verb given that the direct object marker follows.
Moore, James D.. 'Sardinian Ostracon.' DEAPS. 01 Jun, 2026. https://deaps.osu.edu/text_objects/12269. Accessed: 25 Aug, 2026.