LOT 0075

Roman Inscribed Wax Tablet Group

3RD-4TH CENTURY AD

5 - 7 1/4" (95 grams total, 12.7-18.7cm).

Two wooden wax tablet sections, both probably legal contracts comprising: one rectangular with broken lower edge, recessed surface with wax fill and part of eight lines of cursive Greek text, remains of further text to the reverse; one rectangular with recessed surface and two pairs of mounting holes to the border, fourteen lines of cursive Greek text and similar recess, the contract mentioning ‘Silver money’ in the last line, on the reserve the signatures of various witnesses (in the typical form: name, son of [ ], father's name in the genitive case; difficult to read due to the remains of words of at least one previous writer the tablet having been reused as was normal practice; both from North Africa or Egypt. [2]

Property of a North London gentleman; previously in the Dean family collection since 1975; formerly the property of Monsieur Alain Sfez, a Belgian collector; acquired by gift from his father Albert Sfez, 1965; acquired by Albert in the early 1950s; accompanied by three old black and white photographs.

For examples of wooden tabulae re-used as a writing surfaces, see Thomas, J. D., Vindolanda: The Latin Writing Tablets, Britannia Monograph Series No 4, London, 1983; for examples of testamentary documents on wooden tablets that have survived, see FIRA III, p.47 for Anthony Silvanus from 142 AD and see BGU VII 1695 for Safinnius Herminus; for another from Transfynydd, North Wales, see Arch. Camb. 150, pp.143-156.