MA-18 antler

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Object
Classification:	unidentifiable
Material:	antler
Size:	length: 11.7 cm, width: 2.4 cm, height: 1.15 cm
Condition:	complete, damaged
Date:	3rd–2nd centuries BC
Date derived from:	archaeological context
Site:	Magrè (fraction of: Schio, Vicenza, Veneto, Italy)
Field name:	Castello
Archaeological context:	3rd stratum near the medieval tower (Objects: MA-1 antler, MA-2 antler, MA-3 antler, MA-4 antler, MA-5 antler, MA-7 antler, MA-8 antler, MA-9 antler, MA-11 antler, MA-13 antler, MA-14 antler, MA-15 antler, MA-16 antler, MA-17 antler, MA-18 antler, MA-19 antler, MA-20 antler, MA-21 antler, MA-23 antler, MA-24 ingot)
Coordinates (approx.):	45° 42' 21.60" N, 11° 20' 52.80" E [from site]
Find date:	1912
Find circumstances:	excavation
Current location:	Museo Nazionale Atestino
Inventory Nr.:	MNA 58818
Inscription:	MA-18 (knusesusinu)
Sources:	Pellegrini 1918: 182 [No. 8], fig. 15 Gambacurta et al. 2002: 189 [cat. No. 22.10] Nothdurfter 2002: 1149 [list 3, No. 5]

Commentary

Antler point.
Complete but broken in three pieces. In the area of the fracture slivered. On the narrow end perforated. Most of the back side is sawed through.
Beginning in the area of the wider part down to the centre an inscription from right to left.
After the accidental finding of one antler an official governmental excavation was started. The major part of the findings was discovered at the 3rd stratum near the medieval tower on the hill (cp. Pellegrini 1918: 175).
According to Pellegrini the whole antler group from Magrè dates to the Este culture - Este IV - and due to the archaic appearance of the characters the antlers date to the first half of this period, therefore to the 4th century BC (cp. Pellegrini 1918: 175–176, 206). Gambacurta however dates the entire group to the 3rd–2nd centuries BC (cp. Gambacurta 2002b: 122 and in consequence Gambacurta et al. 2002: 188).
Because of the character of the find place which can definitely interpreted as ritual place, the entire antler group from Magrè has also a votive importance.
However Schumacher indicates the Museo Nazionale Atestino as repository concerning the antler, he gives an erroneous inventory number (cp. Schumacher 2004: 165 [MA-18]). Moreover the inventory number "58814" is indicated twice. A second time this number was related to MA-19 (cp. Schumacher 2004: 165 [MA-19]). In the recently released study about the Raetic inscriptions by Marchesini the antler is listed with "MLR 56", an autopsy was effected (cp. MLR: 89 [MLR 56]).
So far not autopsied by the Thesaurus Inscriptionum Raeticarum. The indications follow the information given in literature (cp. below the bibliography).

S.K.

Bibliography

Gambacurta 2002b	Giovanna Gambacurta, "Manufatti iscritti in osso o corno", in: Giovanna Gambacurta, Daniela Locatelli, Luigi Malnati, Patrizia Manessi, Anna Marinetti, Giovanna Luisa Ravagnan (Eds), Akeo. I tempi della scrittura. Veneti antichi: alfabeti e documenti, 121–126.
Gambacurta et al. 2002	Giovanna Gambacurta, Daniela Locatelli, Luigi Malnati, Patrizia Manessi, Anna Marinetti, Giovanna Luisa Ravagnan (Eds), "Catalogo. Veneti antichi. Alfabeti e documenti", in: Giovanna Gambacurta, Daniela Locatelli, Luigi Malnati, Patrizia Manessi, Anna Marinetti, Giovanna Luisa Ravagnan (Eds), Akeo. I tempi della scrittura. Veneti antichi: alfabeti e documenti, 157–275.