A GRAVE INSCRIPTION FROM PTOLEMAIS IN CYRENAICA WITH THE LIBYAN NAME AIALAN AND THE TERM AKINETOS FOR ‘TOMB’
A GRAVE INSCRIPTION FROM PTOLEMAIS IN CYRENAICA WITH THE LIBYAN NAME AIALAN AND THE TERM AKINETOS FOR ‘TOMB’

Summary/Abstract: In summer 2006, one of the present authors discovered a rocky grave situated to the south-west of the ruins of ancient Ptolemais, not far from the so-called Barka-Gate and the Byzantine castle. The grave, rather carelessly cut in the soft limestone, consists of a vertical shaft, ca. 2.5 m deep, and a burying chamber for four bodies opening on the shaft from the south. A massive slab is found in the shaft abutting on its western wall (Fig. 1). On the left-hand side, the slab is kept in an upright position by spurs protruding from the rock. Its right-hand side is free and show traces of lime mortar indicating that it was fixed here by a structure that completely disappeared. Except for some holes in the stone surface the slab is completely preserved. Made of sandstone, it measures 150 cm in height, 51 cm in width and 22 cm in thickness. A two lines inscription, 35.4 cm wide and 11.6 cm high, appears in the upper part of the slab (Fig. 2). The texts is inscribed within guidelines.

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