SZ-20 bronze

edit with form

Object
Classification:	statuette
Material:	bronze
Size:	length 7.2 cm, height 5.7 cm, thickness about 0.5 cm
Condition:	complete
Site:	Sanzeno (Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy)
Coordinates (approx.):	46° 21' 57.60" N, 11° 4' 30.00" E [from site]
Find date:
Find circumstances:	old finding
Current location:	Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum (repository)
Inventory Nr.:	13.674
Inscriptions:	SZ-20 (χ) SZ-21 (?)
Sources:	Walde-Psenner 1976: 213–214 (No. 78), fig. 78

Commentary

Bronze statuette in form of a panther at which the identification as panther is uncertain. More probably is a horse or optionally a dog.
Length 7.2 cm, height 5.7 cm.
Smooth dark-green patina. Cast in open mould, so only one half cast and the back side is not sculptured. At the widest area of the back side a slight indentation. At the edge area flashes filed away in part. The mouth is broken and perforated. Intentionally shortened feet, curved tail.
On the back and chest area probably remains of an inscription.
The surface of the back side slightly curved what is unexpected related to an open mould cast. Due to this fact the object could be interpreted as tessera hospitalis. The interpretation of the strokes at the neck and back area as characters is also arguable. Probably the strokes are indications of a mane, so the interpretation as tessersa hospitalis is then again arguable.
The state of preservation does not allow any indication like date or classification of working.
Find spot Sanzeno, but further find circumstances unknown.
Autopsied by the Thesaurus Inscriptionum Raeticarum in November 2013.

Bibliography

ET 2	Gerhard Meiser, Valentina Belfiore, Sindy Kluge (Eds), Etruskische Texte. Editio minor, revised edition [= Studien zur historisch-vergleichenden Sprachwissenschaft Band 4], Hamburg: Baar 2014. (2 volumes)
LIR	Alberto Mancini, Le Iscrizioni Retiche [= Quaderni del dipartimento di linguistica, Università degli studi di Firenze Studi 8–9], Padova: Unipress 2009–10. (2 volumes)