Amadasi Guzzo, M. “Liberti Nel Mondo Fenicio e Punico.” In Un Viaje Entre El Oriente y El Occidente Del Mediterraneo, edited by S. Celestino Perez and E. Rodriguez Gonzalez, 283–91. Merida: Instituto de Arqueologia, 2020.
Sardinian Ostracon
Punic Spell
Metadata
- Language
- Phoenician / Punic
- Script
- Phoenician
- Find Type
- Acquisition
- Material
- clay | sherd (for ostracon)
- Updated by
- James D. Moore, 2026-06-28
- 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.
Text and Translation
Choose alternative texts and translations from the filter. Click individual words in a text for more details.
James Moore Last updated 27 May, 2026 by James D. Moore
James Moore Last updated 27 May, 2026 by James D. Moore
On the fifth of the month. PN-ˀel grieves
Baˁalyaton at a time from this this day until forever.
Moore, James D.. 'Sardinian Ostracon.' DEAPS. 01 Jun, 2026. https://deaps.osu.edu/text_objects/12269. Accessed: 29 Jun, 2026.