Marble stele with a Lydian inscription
Excavated at Sardis
This stele once stood in a row of such monuments at the west end of the temple of Artemis at Sardis. The inscription is one of the best preserved and most important documents in the Lydian script. Although the letters are akin to those of Greek, the language itself was quite different and has not yet been completely deciphered. The inscription may be a judicial document related to the transfer of goods from an individual named Mlimnas to the sanctuary of Artemis.
This stele once stood in a row of such monuments at the west end of the temple of Artemis at Sardis. The inscription is one of the best preserved and most important documents in the Lydian script. Although the letters are akin to those of Greek, the language itself was quite different and has not yet been completely deciphered. The inscription may be a judicial document related to the transfer of goods from an individual named Mlimnas to the sanctuary of Artemis.
Artwork Details
- Title: Marble stele with a Lydian inscription
- Period: Archaic
- Date: 6th century BCE?
- Culture: Lydian
- Medium: Marble
- Dimensions: Overall: 64 3/16 x 24 1/2 x 8 in. (163 x 62.2 x 20.3 cm)
- Classification: Stone Sculpture
- Credit Line: Gift of The American Society for the Excavation of Sardis, 1926
- Object Number: 26.59.7
- Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Lydian
6th century BCE
Cypriot
5th century BCE
Cypriot
mid–1st century BCE
Cypriot
early 6th century BCE
Cypriot
late 4th century BCE
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.