CO·48 Prestino

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Object
Classification:	slab
Description:	called "stela" by the museum
Material:	stone
Material composition:	sandstone
Shape:	parallelepiped
Size:
Extension (h×w×d):	18 cm7.087 in <br /> × 380 cm149.606 in <br /> × 33 cm12.992 in <br />
Condition:	damaged
Archaeological culture:	unknown
Date:	end of 6th / beginning of 5th century BC
Site:	Prestino (fraction of: Como, Como, Lombardia, Italy)
Field name:	fondo Giulini
Coordinates (approx.):	45° 48' 3.60" N, 9° 3' 25.20" E [from site]
Find date:	1966
Find circumstances:	by chance (salvage excavation)
Finder:	Cirillo
Current location:	Museo Archeologico ‟Paolo Giovio” (Como)
Inventory no.:	8777
Inscription:	CO·48 (uvamokozis:plialeθu:uvltiauiopos:ariuonepos:siteś:tetu)
Alternative sigla:	Tibiletti Bruno 1981: 23 Solinas 1995: 65 Motta 2000: 2 Morandi 2004: 180
Sources:	Morandi 2004: 638-640 & 801 (pl. XXIV.180) Motta 2000: 197-198 Solinas 1995: 343 Markey & Mees 2003: 116-117 & 120-122

Images

Slab CO·48 Prestino with inscription CO·48 from Lejeune 1971

Slab CO·48 Prestino from Morandi 2004

Slab CO·48 Prestino with inscription CO·48 from Tibiletti Bruno 1966b

Commentary

The size of the stone is different according to different sources: 385 × 19 (max.) × 42 (max.) cm (Motta 2000: 197), 375 × 18 (mean) × 33 (mean) cm (Morandi 2004: 638), 378 x 19 x 23 cm (Markey & Mees 2003: 121 fig. 2, they refer to the "'official' measurements"). Also the dating differs according to different sources: second quarter of 5th century BC (Motta 2000: 197, cp. De Marinis & Motta 1990-1: 211), "datable on epigraphic and archaeological grounds to about 480-450 BC" (Markey & Mees 2003: 116). The site is within Golasecca III B - Golaseccca III A 1-2; beaker finds in the approximate context of the stone can be dated Golasecca III A (Markey & Mees 2003: 116, 212 fig. 2, De Marinis & Motta 1990-1: 211-212, fig. 7). Sketch of the site in Markey & Mees 2003: 121 (fig. 2, from De Marinis & Motta 1990-1: fig. 6). The inscription on the stone "faced west, toward an area devoid of archaeological definition and away from what appear to have been more elaborate interior structures to the east", the stone was "apparently dry-mounted on a low exterior wall" (Markey & Mees 2003: 212 fig. 2, see also 120-122).

• Luraschi et al. 1968-9: 221-223 (site map, in situ photography)
• De Marinis & Motta 1990-1: 211, n. 16 (details about the excavation of the site)
• Tibiletti Bruno 1989: 77-105 (with details of excavation and discussion of the alphabetical signs, cf. Markey & Mees 2003: 120)

Lejeune? Cf. CO·21 Rondineto

Bibliography

Casini et al. 2001	Stefania Casini, Raffaele C. De Marinis, Marta Rapi, "L'abitato protostorico dei dintorni di Como", in: Various authors, La protostoria in Lombardia. Atti del 3o convegno archeologico regionale, Como – Villa Olmo 22–23–24 ottobre 1999, Como: 2001, 97–140.
De Marinis & Motta 1991	Raffaele C. De Marinis, Filippo Motta, "Una nuova iscrizione lepontica su pietra da Mezzovico (Lugano)", Sibrium 21 (1990–1991), 201–225.
De Marinis 1986	Raffaele De Marinis, "Lingua e alfabeto", in: Various authors, Como fra Etruschi e Celti, Como: Società Archeologica Comense 1986. (Catalogo della mostra), 73–76.
De Marinis 1986c	Raffaele De Marinis, "L'abitato protostorico di Como", in: Various authors, Como fra Etruschi e Celti, Como: Società Archeologica Comense 1986. (Catalogo della mostra), 25–38.
Ferri 1967	Silvio Ferri, "Esigenze archeologiche - VIII", Studi Classici e Orientali 16 (1967), 417–435.