On the language of San Sosti Axe-Head inscription

The San Sosti Axe-Head was unearthed near the small town of San Sosti in the province of Cosenza, Calabria, southern Italy. This bronze axe-head, dating back to the 6th century BC, is rich in decorations, including a winged sphinx and intricate palmettes, reflect the high level of artistry achieved by craftsmen of that era.

However, the most intriguing element is the inscription, thought to be written in the Achaean dialect of Ancient Greek. The axe-head was likely dedicated in a religious context, as an offering to the temple.

Today, this remarkable piece of history resides in the British Museum (see it here).

According to the scholars, the text reads:

I am the sacred property of Hera-in-the-Plain:
Kyniskos the butcher dedicated me,
a tithe from his works.

However, the truth is that nobody knows why would Hera have the epithet “in the plain”, as this name was not attested anywhere else.

My translation of the San Sosti inscription

Unfortunately, it is not easy to find the official transcription of the text. In a few works written about this object the English translation is often quoted without the original text.

However, the text is fairly easy to read, even though the spacing between the words was not clearly indicated.

My reading looks like this:

TAS HERAS – Of Hera
HIAROS EMITAS EN PEDIOI – Hiaros deposited me at the altar
KUNISKOS ME ANETHEIFE Kyniskos dedicated me
ORTAMOS WERGON DEKATAN – (the) butcher, as a tithe of his works

My translation explained

TAS HERAS: Translates directly to ‘of Hera’ (τᾶς Ἥρας), using the Doric/Achaean feminine genitive article tas.”

HIAROS: from Ancient Greek ῐ̔ερός (hierós), meaning: connected with the gods, supernatural , holy, sacred, consecrated, under divine protection. However, it could also be a personal name.

“EMITAS”: I interpret this word as “deposited,” “placed,” or “bought.” This implies an action of dedication or offering, suggesting that the axe-head was deliberately placed as an offering or perhaps purchased for the purpose of dedication.

Moreover, I have already encountered this same word in the Sikulian inscription from Centorbi (Centuripe) inscription, 5th century BC (similar period). In my translation, a part of that inscription reads:

Mí emito meiti – I buy for myself a maiden
See the full text here.

“EN PEDIOI”:Pidi or pedi can be linked to the concept of an offering, but the exact connection depends on the ancient language group and epigraphic context.

1. Anatolian / Hittite-Luwian Pathway: “To Present, Give, or Place”
In ancient Near Eastern and Anatolian epigraphy (Hittite, Luwian, Lycian), pedi and pidd- are directly tied to ritual offering contexts:
Hittite Ritual Rubrics (pedi): In Hittite cuneiform offering texts, pedi is a standard ritual directive meaning “in [its sacred] place” or “on the spot.” It dictates where a sacrificial gift or libation must be set down during a rite.
Hittite Verb pēda-: Means “to bring,” “to deliver,” or “to present”—frequently used when bringing offerings to an altar or deity.

Lycian/Luwian Root pije- / pidd-: The Anatolian verb for “to give / present / dedicate.” In Lycian votive inscriptions, forms like pijete or pide literally translate to “he/she gave” or “dedicated as an offering.”

2. Classical & Italic Pathway: “At the Feet / Base of the Altar” (PIE *-ped-)
In Ancient Greek, Siculian, Messapic, and early Italic epigraphy, pedi descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *ped- (foot, ground, base):
Locative Formula (pedi / pedoi): In ancient votive dedications, pedi functions as a locative adverbial/dative meaning “at the feet [of the deity]” or “upon the ground/base [of the altar].”

Greek pedon (πέδον): Means “sacred ground” or “foundation.” Objects designated as pediwere placed at the base or foot of a votive statue or stele as an offering to terrestrial or chthonic deities.

“KUNISKOS”: A personal name, similar forms are well-attested.

There is a similar formula in the Rhaetic inscriptions. The scolars read it as “pirikanisnu”, but in my translation, it simply reads “pidi Kanisnu” or “Kanishna’s offering”. See the full text here.

“ME ANETHEIFE”: με ἀνέθηκε (me anethēke) means “dedicated me”: με is “me,” and ἀνέθηκε means “dedicated” or “set up as an offering.” The verb is the third-person singular aorist of ἀνατίθημι, formed from ἀνά, “up,” and τίθημι, “put, place” -hence “set up,” developing the religious sense “dedicate.” The related noun ἀνάθημα means “a votive offering.” The object speaks in the first person, identifying itself as the dedication.

“ORTAMOS”: Interpreted either as an occupational title or a personal name. Most epigraphers read this as a contraction of ho artamos (ὁ ἄρταμος), meaning “the butcher” or “the sacrificer.” Alternatively, Ortamos is attested as a standalone personal name in regional Greek inscriptions.

“WERGON DEKATAN”: From Archaic Achaean Greek ϝέργων δεκάταν (wergōn dekātān):

 WERGON (ϝέργων) is the genitive plural of ϝέργον (wergon / Classical ἔργον), meaning “of works,” “of labor,” or “of trade/earnings” (derived from PIE *werǵ–).

 DEKATAN (δεκάταν) is the accusative singular feminine of δεκάτη (dekātē), meaning “a tenth part” or “a tithe.”

Together, WERGON DEKATAN translates literally to “a tithe of [his] works” or “a tenth of his earnings.” Dedicating a 10% portion of trade profits to a deity is one of the most common votive formulas across the ancient Greek world.

Compare with Gaulish bratou dekantem. While both formulas represent a 10% votive offering (dekātān = dekantem), they emphasize different aspects of the rite: Greek wergōn specifies the economic source (a tithe of earnings/labor), whereas Gaulish bratou specifies the spiritual motive (a tithe out of gratitude).