AGP-SMYDP0782 Roger S. Bagnall Encoded in XML from original publication Tom Elliott David M. Ratzan Patrick J. Burns Georgios Tsolakis Created scripts automatically generating XML according to EpiDoc Guidelines Hammad Ahmad Mackenzie Brooks Kyle Helms Sara Sprenkle Trevor Stalnaker Principle Contributor Roger S. Bagnall 2016-10-03 Ancient Graffiti Project https://ancientgraffiti.org/Graffiti/graffito/AGP-SMYDP0782 2026

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 R.S. Bagnall R. Casagrande-Kim A. Ersoy C. Tanriver B. Yolaçan Graffiti from the Basilica in the Agora of Smyrna First published by the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World and the New York University Press, 2016. New York 2016 EDR SMYDP0782 AGP AGP-SMYDP0782 Graffito/incisedPainted Dimensions: 17 15.5 ((:securis)) axe Smyrna 0180-0300 C.E. Basilica of the Agora of Smyrna, Izmir, Turkey

Julian calendar

Graffito of a πέλεκυς (or labrys), located on the northern face of Pier A78, looking into the Basilica’s northern corridor. The graffito is made of a herringbone pattern of etched lines that defines both the ax’s haft and head. The outline is rendered with deeper and wider etched lines. The whole ax is covered in red color, probably applied after the incision. The haft is straight and slightly tapering toward the top. The head is rather straight at the top and concave at the bottom. The two rounded blades are symmetrical. The iconography of this graffito is very similar to that of graffito D10.1. The survival in Late Antiquity of the iconography of the labrys as a symbol of paganism referring to the Carian Zeus has been recently discussed by Angelos Chaniotis in relation to a graffito found at Aphrodisias; see Chaniotis 2014: 16–21, esp. fig. 16, p. 21.

Bagnall, R. S. et al., Graffiti from the Basilica in the Agora of Smyrna (2016): 390.<br/> Chaniotis, A. 2014. “Graffiti and Social History of Aphrodisias.” AAIA Bulletin 10: 16–21.

Drawing of an axe