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Roman Marble Slab Dug Up in England


guy

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Marble slab dug up in bungalow back garden and used by its owner as a STEP to mount her horse is revealed to be rare Roman relic worth £15,000

  • Was dug up from an old rockery in the village of Whiteparish, Wilts, 20 years ago
  • An archaeologist has now identified the slab as dating to the 2nd Century AD 

A large marble slab used by its owner as a step to mount her horse has been revealed to be rare Roman relic worth £15,000

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9111159/Marble-slab-dug-bungalow-garden-revealed-rare-Roman-relic-worth-15-000.html

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“Artefacts of this type often came into England as the result of Grand Tours in the late 18th and 19th century, when wealthy aristocrats would tour Europe learning about Classical art and culture,” explained Antiquities specialist Will Hobbs at Woolley and Wallis. “We assume that is how it entered the UK, but what is a complete mystery is how it ended up in a domestic garden, and that’s where we’d like the public’s help.”

 

https://www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk/news/news/grand-tour-relic-found-in-rockery/

 

Summary: This article shows the importance of documenting a place's origin before its removal.

 

Edited by guy
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4 hours ago, Crispina said:

Has the inscription been translated?

I can only depend on the article:

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Over time, the dirt washed off to reveal the wreath and inscription 'the people (and) the Young Men (honour) Demetrios (son) of Metrodoros (the son) of Leukios'.

 

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I asked for an assessment of the monument from Dr. Tom Scanlon, Professor Emeritus of Classics (posted with his permission):

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 The report is basically accurate in translation of the Greek and in dating to the 2-3 c AD. It looks like a public monument set up to Demetrios, whom I’d guess was a young man honored by his fellow citizens (demos) and by the local youth association (neoi) of which I’d guess he was a member. Young because they mention his father and grandfather (both alive?), when usually only a father is named. The youth group trained members for athletic contests, and this boy maybe won or did well in one, thus honoring the city and his boy’s club. It’s not a grave stone, as that would have been set up by a parent. 
 
The script and style indicate the era of the Roman Empire, and the fact that it is in Greek means that it came from the eastern Mediterranean

Thanks, again, Dr. Tom.

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