Oldest known extract of Homer΄s Odyssey discovered in Olympia
Olympia
11 Jul 2018
/ 11:42
OLYMPIA. Initial estimates date the finding to the Roman era, probably before the 3rd century AD.
In the course of the surface – geoarchaeological research, within the framework of the three-year research program titled “The Multidimensional Site of Olympia”, which is being conducted around the sanctuary under the direction of Dr. Erophilis-Iris Koleda, head of the Ilia regional Ephorate of Antiquities, in collaboration with Professors Franziska Lang, Birgitta Eder, Andreas Vött and Hans-Joachim Gehrke of the German Archaeological Institute and the Universities of Darmstadt, Tübingen and Frankfurt am Mainz, a particularly important discovery was made.
In a location next to the sanctuary of Olympia with remnants of the Roman era, they found a clay slab with an engraved inscription. After completing the necessary preservation at the local Ephorate of Antiquities, it was discovered that it contains 13 verses from the rhapsody of Odyssey (Odysseus’ speech to his lifelong friend Eumaeus). Initial estimates date the finding to the Roman era, probably before the 3rd century AD.
The Greek Ministry of Culture said that if the date is confirmed by the study of the engraving now being conducted, “the clay tablet would preserve perhaps the oldest extant written excerpt of the Homeric Epics that has been found, which besides its uniqueness is also a very important archaeological, literary and historical record.”
In a location next to the sanctuary of Olympia with remnants of the Roman era, they found a clay slab with an engraved inscription. After completing the necessary preservation at the local Ephorate of Antiquities, it was discovered that it contains 13 verses from the rhapsody of Odyssey (Odysseus’ speech to his lifelong friend Eumaeus). Initial estimates date the finding to the Roman era, probably before the 3rd century AD.
The Greek Ministry of Culture said that if the date is confirmed by the study of the engraving now being conducted, “the clay tablet would preserve perhaps the oldest extant written excerpt of the Homeric Epics that has been found, which besides its uniqueness is also a very important archaeological, literary and historical record.”
