An old and a new Attic inscription from the village of Keratea (Attica)

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On the 30th of March 2007 a visit to the village of Keratea gave us the opportunity to walk around the town’s old churches. Ἁγία Παρασκευή (Ag. Paraskeue) is located at the homonymous street, close and to the south-west of the central square of the village.

Into the outer south wall of this small church just below the roof is built the 4th cent. B.C. funerary inscription IG II2 5978 which bears the name of a man from the deme of Deiradiotai. The inscription is written on part of the geison of a stele or more probably of a naiskos.

It was first copied -among other inscriptions from the area of Mesogeia- by George Finlay1 and in 1846 it was published by L. Ross, Die Demen von Attika, Halle 1846, 66, no. 68. Later it was copied by A. Velsen (+1862), from whose copy it was published by U. Köhler (IG II 1981). A little before 1887 it was seen by A. Milchhöffer, Ath. Mitth. 12 (1887) 289, no 212.


1. The church of Ag. Paraskeue at Keratea.
2. The inscription IG II2 5978 built into the south wall of Ag. Paraskeue.

Another small church named Ἅγιος Χαράλαμπος (Ag. Charalambos), is located in Ag. Charalambous str., close and to the north-east of the central square of the village.

In the upper part of the NW angle of the outer north wall we saw a fragmentary 4th cent. B.C. dedication probably to Asklepios. The god was worshipped in this area, as it is known from another inscription, IG II2 2355, which was found nearby and was also copied by G. Finlay after his visit to the Mesogeia3.

To the best of our knowledge the inscription is unpublished and we shall publish it soon.


3. The church of Ag. Charalambos
4. The new inscription.

G. E. Malouchou – A. P. Matthaiou

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1See W. M. Leake, The Topography of Athens and the Demi of Attica. London2 1841, II, p. 76 note 1. Finlay’s facsimile has been reproduced in: Τhe Journals and Letters of George Finlay. Edited by J. M. Hussey. Athens 1995, ΙΙ, p. 545.

2Cf. A. R. Rangabé, Antiquités Helléniques, II, Athènes 1855, 1433; Σ. Α. Κουμανούδη, Ἀττικῆς ἐπιγραφαὶ ἐπιτύμβιοι, Ἀθῆναι 1871, 415.

3See Τhe Journals and Letters of George Finlay, ΙΙ, p. 546.