MA-22 antler

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Object
Classification:	unidentifiable
Material:	antler
Size:	length: 9.1 cm, width: 3 cm, height: 1.4 cm
Condition:	fragmentary
Archaeological culture:	Este IV
Date:	3rd–2nd centuries BC
Date derived from:	archaeological context
Site:	Magrè (fraction of: Schio, Vicenza, Veneto, Italy)
Field name:	Castello
Coordinates (approx.):	45° 42' 21.60" N, 11° 20' 52.80" E [from site]
Find date:	1912
Find circumstances:	stray find
Current location:	Museo Nazionale Atestino
Inventory Nr.:	MNA 60455
Inscription:	MA-22 (]ạθa)
Sources:	Pellegrini 1918: 178 [No. 1], fig. 8 Nothdurfter 2002: 1149 [list 3, No. 5]

Commentary

Fragment of an antler point.
On one side perforated.
Remains of an inscription.
Compared to the other antlers of Magrè the present object represents one of the first finds made accidentally by Giovanni Piccoli, a carpenter from Schio, the 10th November, 1912. In consequence of this discovery an official excavation realized by the monument protection service was arranged from where the other pieces of antlers come.
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.
Concerning the antler piece Schumacher indicates the repository as unknown (cp. Schumacher 2004: 166 [MA-22]). But analogous to the other antler points from Magrè and their current repository, in all probability the current location of the fragment is also the Museo Nazionale Atestino. In the recently released study about the Raetic inscriptions by Marchesini the Museo Nazionale Atestino is indicated as repository for the antler fragment. The object is listed with "MLR 68", an autopsy was not effected and the indications are based on the earlier literature (cp. MLR: 99 [68]). However, by comparing the drawing given in Pellegrini (cp. Pellegrini 1918: 178 [No. 1], fig. 8) and the photo given by Marchesini, although the photo should refer to MA-21 antler (cp. MLR: 83), it turned out that Marchesini's "MLR 50" corresponds with MA-22 antler related to the shape of the antler piece, the indicated dimensions as well as the characters on the fragment, and not with MA-21 antler. Therefore, Marchesini's specifications which were supposed to indicate MA-21 antler, must be assigned to the present antler. Concerning the MA-21 antler further indications remain to be still made clear.
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.