E.xx 1
The round-topped white limestone stele (47 x 25 x 3.5 cm) was known since the mid-19th century but its provenance is unknown, although some sources mention Naucratis and Bubastis. The stele bears no decorative motifs or relief carving and the Carian inscription is written sinistroverse in a curve parallel to the shape of the stele. It might be read: “Qorb, the (son?) of Isor, of (the city of) Souangela” (See E.Me 30). The stele is in the Museum of Grenoble (MG 1946).
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1 qorb isorś k̑i śuγλiś
E.xx 2
The bronze reliquary for a mummified shrew (5 x 9.5 x 3 cm) was purchased in the art market in 1927. Its provenance is unknown. The Carian inscription is carved on the left side of the base, in the right-to-left direction, following the Egyptian line on the front of the base. The latter is a dedicatory formula about giving life. The Carian word is probably the personal name of the person who dedicated the item. It is currently in the inventory of Munich Museum of Egyptian Art (Inv. 1385?).
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1 wliat
E.xx 3
The oval shaped silver ring mount, known since the late 19th century, is believed to have originated from Egypt, but its exact provenance is unknown. It has six Carian letters engraved, likely a personal name. The item is in the inventory of the British Museum (BM 120265).
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1 ioneλś
E.xx 4
The ceramic vase, specifically a trefoil-mouth oinochoe, is known since the late 19th century. It is believed to have originaged from Egypt but the exact provenance is unknown. The single word engraved on it is likely to be a personal name. The item is reported to be in the inventory of the the Ägyptisches Museum in Berlin (7206?).
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1 pduba
E.xx 5
The scarab seal made of brown steatite (1.1 x 1.6 x 1.2 cm) is known since the late 19th century but its exact origin is unknown. The item entered into the collection of the Ashmolean Museum in 1895 (AN1895.101).
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1 owk̑mebśτ
E.xx 6
The inscription is written on the left, front, and right sides of the base of an Isis statuette made of bronze (height: 22.5 cm). The exact provenance of the statuette is unknown. The inscription is probably of two personal names (“PN and PN”), followed by a votive phrase in Egyptian: “May Isis give life!” The statuette is in the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg (ДВ-288).
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1 šarnajs sb taqbos
E.xx 7
The bronze lion statuette (14 x 16.6 x 4.3 cm) appeared in the antiquities market in 1975. Its exact origin is unknown. The Carian inscription is engraved on the right, back, and left sides of the base in sinistroverse orientation. A suggested translation of the text is “Uksi, (son?) of Wrm, offers this lion? to the Branchid(-priest) of Apollo?,” but other than the personal names not much is certain. Item was sold in 2025 in an auction in Paris and current whereabouts is unknown.
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1 ntros parŋidas oršan u mδane uksi wrmś
References:
Adiego, I.- J. 2007. The Carian Language, Leiden/Boston. (E.xx 1–E.xx 7)
Adiego, I.- X. 2019. “’Archaic’ Carian,” in Karia Arkhaia. La Carie, des origines à la période pré-hekatomnide. 4èmes Rencontres d’archéologie de l’IFÉA. Istanbul, 14-16 novembre 2013, eds. O. Henry, K. Konuk, Istanbul, 23–41. (E.xx 7)
Herda, A. & Sauter, E. 2009. “Karerinnen und Karer in Milet: Zu einem spätklassischen Schüsselchen mit karischem Graffito aus Milet,” Archäologischer Anzeiger 2009/2, 51–112. (98–99, E.xx 7)
Masson, O. 1959. “Documents énigmatiques à inscription pseudo-chypriote et pseudo-carienne”, Festschrift Johannes Friedrich zum 65. Geburstag, eds. R. von Kienle et al., Heidelberg, 315–321. (E.xx 5)
Masson, O. 1976. “Un lion de bronze de provenance égyptienne avec inscription carienne,” Kadmos 15, 80–83. (E.xx 7)
Masson, O. & Yoyotte, J. 1956. Objets pharaoniques à inscription carienne, Cairo. (Docs. C, I, a, b = E.xx 1–4)
Shevoroshkin, V. I. 1964. “Aegyptisch-karische Inschrift am Sockel einer Isisstatuette (Leningrader Staatsermitage),” Revue Hittite et Asianique XXII 74, 57–65 and pl. I–IV. (E.xx 6)
Images:
O. Masson & J. Yoyotte, 1956
O. Masson, 1959, 1976
I.-J. Adiego, 2007
Tangopaso, 2022
Artcurial, 2025
Hermitage Museum