A Pig for Poseidon. A Laconian Votive Relief in the Athens Epigraphic Museum (EM 8926)

Abstract

A small votive relief dedicated to Poseidon and depicting a pig was found towards the end of the 19^th century at Skopa, a small promontory near Kotronas, 87 km to the south of Sparta. Kotronas has been identified with Teuthrone, a member of the League of the Eleutherolaconians. The article offers a new reading of the dedicatory inscription (IG V 1, 1218) and the first in-depth analysis of the figurative decoration of the relief. A date in late-2^nd or in the 1^st century BCE is suggested. A member of a Spartan family involved in the local cult of Poseidon Tainarios is identified as dedicator.