AK-1.17

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Inscription
Transliteration:	es?esχarṭa
Original script:	A17 dA17 d
Object:	AK-1 rock (stone) (Inscriptions: AK-1.1, AK-1.2, AK-1.3, AK-1.4, AK-1.5, AK-1.6, AK-1.7, AK-1.8, AK-1.9, AK-1.10, AK-1.11, AK-1.12, AK-1.13, AK-1.14, AK-1.15, AK-1.16, AK-1.17, AK-1.18, AK-1.19, AK-1.20, AK-1.21)
Position:	right area"right area" is not in the list (front, back, top, bottom, inside, outside, neck, shoulder, foot, handle, ...) of allowed values for the "position" property., lower area"lower area" is not in the list (front, back, top, bottom, inside, outside, neck, shoulder, foot, handle, ...) of allowed values for the "position" property.
Orientation:	90°
Script:	North Italic script
Direction of writing:	dextroverse
Number of letters:	9
Number of lines:	1
Craftsmanship:	engraved
Current condition:	damaged
Archaeological culture:	La Tène
Date of inscription:	5th–1st centuries BC
Date derived from:
Language:	unknown
Meaning:	unknown
Alternative sigla:	none

Images

Inscription AK-1.17.

Object AK-1 rock - picture area 5 with inscriptions AK-1.15, AK-1.16, AK-1.17, AK-1.18, AK-1.19 and AK-1.20.

Tracing of inscriptions on AK-1 rock.

Inscriptions AK-1.15, AK-1.16, AK-1.17, AK-1.18, AK-1.19, AK-1.20 - picture area 5.

Inscription AK-1.17.

Commentary

Unpublished. Autopsied by TIR in July 2014.

Picture in Mandl 2011: Abb. 142 (photo). Photo of the entire rock wall in Mandl 2011: Abb. 136.

Length about ??? cm, starting at about ??? cm above the ground. Running vertically upwards, slightly curving to the left. The very faint trace of a frame line might be guessed at on the left, but might well be just a trick of the eye. The best-preserved inscription on this rock as distinctness of scratches is concerned.

is preceded by a small round indentation similar to the one in AK-1.11, probably natural. After , a distinctly visible zig-zag line in the lower area, which can best be explained as part of a ligature with either or the following – the first case is suggested by the fact that the end of the zig-zag line would here coincide with the lower end of the (hypothetical) hasta; also it is closer to , in fact starting under it. In the second case, its end touches the hasta at the height of the lowest bar, but compare the only other ligature known from Raetic rock inscriptions with the bars of , turned against writing direction, branching off the hasta of the following letter. If indeed the writer got confused about the orientation of this element, it cannot be excluded that the intended ligature is not me, but ne. The next four letters are well legible, with rounded bars. After , a hasta with at least one bar crossing it (). Traces of up to two more such bars might be considered relevant, yielding either or, unlikely, a very ramshackle . Then A17 d, possibly another letter after it (see drawing).

AK-1.17 is distinguished both by its good state of preservation and its content – unlike the other passably well legible inscriptions on AK-1 rock, it gives no clue to a possible Raetic interpretation.

Bibliography

Mandl 2011	Franz Mandl, Felsbilder. Österreich – Bayern: Nördliche Kalkalpen [= Anisa – Verein für alpine Forschung 4], Haus im Ennstal: 2011.