CO·14

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Inscription
Reading in transliteration:	mei / va
Reading in original script:	/
Object:	CO·14 Rondineto (unidentifiable)
Position:	foot, outside
Direction of writing:	sinistroverse
Script:	North Italic script (Lepontic alphabet)
Letter height:	1 cm0.394 in <br />
Number of letters:	5
Number of lines:	2
Workmanship:	scratched after firing
Condition:	complete
Archaeological culture:	unknown [from object]
Date of inscription:	unknown [from object]
Type:	unknown
Language:	perhaps Celtic
Meaning:	unknown
Alternative sigla:	Whatmough 1933 (PID): 296 Solinas 1995: 87 Morandi 2004: 161
Sources:	Morandi 2004: 629 f.

Images

Drawing of inscription CO·14 from Morandi 2004

Potsherd CO·14 Rondineto with inscription CO·14 from Morandi

Drawing of inscription CO·14 from Solinas 1995

Garovaglio's drawing of inscription CO·14 from Tibiletti Bruno 1969b

Tracing of inscription CO·14 from Tibiletti Bruno 1969b

Commentary

Images in Garovaglio 1883: fig. 1 (drawing = Tibiletti Bruno 1969b: 285, tav. XIII.28a), Rhŷs 1914: pl. II (photo), Tibiletti Bruno 1969b: 285, tav. XIII.28b (tracing), Solinas 1995: 354 (drawing), Morandi 1999: 179 (drawing = Morandi 2004: 628, fig. 20.161) and 202, tav. XV.1 (photo = Morandi 2004: 800, tav. XXIII.161).

Two groups/lines of letters inscribed on the foot of the vessel. Seen in the museum by Rhŷs 1913: 39, III.1.2, who read two words written sinistroverse in false boustrophedon piuai | aa 'Aa for Biua' (also Rhŷs 1913: 8 f.). Whatmough PID: 102, no. 296 p·nại | aḷ, yet again with a "certain" surprise punct, and notes that the last two letters in line 1 are "apparently conjoint"; new reading by Conway in 1930 pnei | aa or vv (p. 630). Tibiletti Bruno 1969b: 207 f., no. 28 reads mẹḳị | ṿạ or mạḳị | ṿạ, taken as one word (also Tibiletti Bruno 1978: 147), observing that the "conjoint" letters in line 1 (read as a ligature) are reminiscent of dubious ki in CO·13. Morandi 1999: 179 f., no. 27 also reads one word, but without ligature meiva (also Morandi 2004), despite noting that the two letters in line 2 are identical (cf. Solinas 1995: 354, no. 87 ṃẹịạạ).

Dated to the 4^th c. BC because of upright alpha by Morandi 1999: 179, which is hardly reliable considering the doubtful reading.

Bibliography

Garovaglio 1883	Alfonso Garovaglio, "Segni graffiti impressi, od a vernice traslucido su vasi arcaici delle necropoli di Rondineto, Golasecca, Castelletto Ticino, Coarezza, Montorfano ed Orile", Rivista Archeologica della Provincia di Como 23 (1883), 18–26.