Gold Fluted Bowl from Olympia, Greece (500 BCE)
For translation methodology see: How to Translate Alphabetic Akkadian Texts
A more angled view in a grayscale image showing the initial letters.
Dimensions Height: 15 cm (5 7/8 in.); diameter: 15 cm (5 7/8 in.). Weight: 835.46 grams (29 1/2 oz.). Now at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Accession Number 21.1843. It was acquired from a collector in 1921. The collector described the find location as:
Alpheios was the sacred grove of Zeus. It was an irregular quadrangular area more than 200 yards (183 m) on each side. It was walled except to the north where it was bounded by the Kronion (hill of Cronus). In it were the temple of Zeus, temple of Hera, and small treasuries built by various Dorian states. It also contained the administration buildings for the Olympic Games. So apparently some spring floods eroded away a cache of temple valuables hidden during some time of troubles, possibly the drought of 499 BCE. In 472 BCE the sanctuary was renovated and the temple of Zeus was erected shortly afterward being dedicated in 457 BCE.
Bowl online at: https://collections.mfa.org/objects/238352/libation-bowl-phiale-mesomphalos
- coming "from Olympia, discovered five years ago (so 1916) east of the Altis between the stadium and the river Alpheios, in the bank of a small torrent formed by winter rains."
Alpheios was the sacred grove of Zeus. It was an irregular quadrangular area more than 200 yards (183 m) on each side. It was walled except to the north where it was bounded by the Kronion (hill of Cronus). In it were the temple of Zeus, temple of Hera, and small treasuries built by various Dorian states. It also contained the administration buildings for the Olympic Games. So apparently some spring floods eroded away a cache of temple valuables hidden during some time of troubles, possibly the drought of 499 BCE. In 472 BCE the sanctuary was renovated and the temple of Zeus was erected shortly afterward being dedicated in 457 BCE.
Bowl online at: https://collections.mfa.org/objects/238352/libation-bowl-phiale-mesomphalos
Gold Fluted Bowl from Olympia, Greece - 500 BCE (Med Text 29)
Gold Fluted Bowl from Olympia, Greece - 500 BCE (Med Text 29)
(June 3, 2023) The temple of Olympia originally had the diviners (seers) mentioned in this text but during the classical era it lost out in that area to Delphi. Because of this the temple invented the Olympic games to bring in people. This text is a mix of Etruscan and Aegean letter styles. In fact an Etruscan "K" is used on the left while a Greek "K" is used on the right. This dates it to between 500 and 400 BCE on epigraphic grounds.
Translation in Akkadian (Med Text 29)
(read left to right. Capital letters on stone. Small inner vowels inferred. Verbs are italic bold)Translation in Akkadian (Med Text 29)
- Qu Ku ŠuBu. Gi Ṣu Du. A Ṣu ANu. Bu Ṭu BaNu (Med 29.1)
- BiSu BaRu. A Ku Gi. E A Mu (Med 29.2)
In English
In English
- Life-Threads are involving the ritual-roast-offerings. Energy is activating the life-manifestations. Those are being activated by considerations (focused emotions). Nourish Thu's goodness.
- Give tribute to the seers. They are getting involved with energy. Nothing is from the fertility-fluids.
Failed Greek Translation Attempt at Museum Site
Failed Greek Translation Attempt at Museum Site
"The sons of Kypselos dedicated [this bowl] from Heraclea"
The letters of the names are not even correct showing this is a fake translation. The museum does not provide the name of the translator.