Inv. N. Pigorini/ Series W

71977/ ht wa 1283

The single-hole hanging nodule 71977/ HT Wa 1283 represents a “bird with unfolded wings” (Del Freo 2002-2003, 68; Albertini et alii, 11).

The nodule bears one Linear A on face B.

AB 74/ZE

As regards hanging nodules, the function of this sign is uncertain, even if an acrophonic function is suggested on the tablet HT 16a.4 (Negri 2002-2003, 100; Montecchi 2019, 286).

This single-hole hanging nodule was discovered in the North-West Quarter, between the Room 13, also known as “Stanza dei Sigilli”, and the Portico 11, like most of the cretulae probably fallen from the upper floor, which collapsed in the fire that destroyed the Villa (Halbherr 1903, 30; Levi 1925, 73; for the provenance of administrative documents See Militello 1988, 1992, 2001, 2011).

Measures 2.1 x 1.4 x 1.5 cm

Scribe –

The seal impression HT 13 recurs 139 times, once in the “Pigorini corpus”.

The motif represents a bird with unfolded wings. This animal was considered a messenger of the gods (Shapland 2009, 229-231; Binnberg 2018, 12); a decoration at the edge of the motif has not been clearly identified (Del Freo 2002-2004, 68). The style of the representation has been defined by Weingarten as “quasi-talismanic”, as the head and the body don’t bear any particular detail; only the feathers are outlined in a characteristic V shape, that the scholar refears to the School of Winged Figures (Weingarten 1988, 91-98). A noteworthy further feature, in its left lower part is a crack that led scholars to believe that the signet was an heirloom, since it was used, even though broken (Weingarten 1988, 91-98; Albertini et alii 2013, 11).

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