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Archaeologists searching the ancient site of Olympia, one of the largest archeological sites in Greece, have found a rare and important artefact – a clay tablet bearing 13 verses. a rhapsody of the Odyssey of Homer. If the preliminary dating of the tablet is correct, it is the oldest known excerpt of the epic Homeric poem.
Although scholars continue to debate its existence, Homer was credited with writing the Odyssey one of the most important of his epic poems, around the 8th century BC. The story was pbaded on orally for hundreds of years before ending up writing. The Odyssey is popularly called "one of the fundamental works of Western literature". It is centered on the character of Ulysses and tells his struggles to return to Ithaca after the fall of Troy.
& # 39; Homer singing with his Lyre & # 39; attributed to Félix Boisselier. (19459007) Public Domain )
According to BBC News, the 13 verses on the clay tablet are a section of the 14th Rhapsody of the Odyssey and include a speech from Odysseus to Eumea. To give some context to this part of the epic poem: when Ulysses meets Eumea, he is attacked by dogs and rescued by the pigman, who offers Ulysses food and a place to stay – demonstrating his hospitality (a major theme of the # 39; epic). Ulysses is disguised as a beggar from Crete and tells his old friend Eumée not to worry because the king will come back, planting a seed of hope in the pig's heart.
Ruins of the Temple of Zeus, Olympia. (Elisa.rolle / CC BY SA 4.0)
Back to the clay tablet found on the famous site, the Greek Ministry of Culture has dated it at the time Roman, perhaps before the 3rd century AD. If the estimate is accurate, Greek Reporter states that "the clay tablet could retain the oldest surviving written excerpt of the Homeric epics that has been found, which, besides its uniqueness, is also a very important testimony archaeological, literary and historical. " [19659006] The clay tablet found in Olympia with 13 verses from the Odyssey. (protothema) "clbad =" media-image "height =" 629 "style =" width: 552px; height: 629px; "width =" 552 "typeof =" foaf: Image "src =" https://www.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/The-clay-tablet-found-at-Olympia. jpg "/>
The clay tablet found in Olympia with 13 verses of the Odyssey. (prototheme)
Top image: A clay plate with an engraved inscription was discovered on the archeological site of Olympia in Greece.It contains 13 verses of a rhapsody of the Homer's Odyssey Source: NAMA
By Alicia McDermott
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