The inscription is located on the surface of a rock within the horseshoe-shaped enclosed area.
Letters of the archaic alphabet of Thera: Alpha: with regular oblique strokes and a crossbar. kappa: with oblique strokes that do not connect. iota: with three strokes. omicron: smaller than the other letters.
Encoded following the latest EpiDoc guidelines
Taxonomies for ThERA controlled values
ThERA anthroponyms authority list
ThERA theonyms authority list
Julian Calendar
The inscription is placed on a sloping surface of a rock inside the perimeter area enclosed by a horseshoe-shaped wall. It is inscribed in retrograde (except for iota), approximately 70 cm from the perimeter wall. The letter sizes are inconsistent (tau and epsilon 7 cm, omicron 4 cm). Hiller notes that the inscription appears to follow a curvilinear path, with the letters deeply engraved into the rock, and suggests it likely dates to the 6th century BCE. There is no aspiration mark after kappa, consistent with other archaic inscriptions (no. 1312). Nonetheless, the incision style (narrow V‑shaped groove, about 2 mm wide, produced with a pointed tool, see IThera015 and IThera035) and paleographic details indicate that this graffito likely belongs to a later phase, around the 6th century BCE. Regarding the identity of the deity, Hiller references Wilamowitz’s theory, identifying the name Damia in this inscription, along with Auxesia. These two deities, often associated with fertility rites and childbirth, were worshipped together, particularly in places like Aegina and Thera. Both are connected to rituals involving fertility and the protection of young people. The association between Damia and Auxesia has literary references in Herodotus and Pausanias, who mention their importance in fertility rites and civil unrest between Aegina and Athens. These deities were also linked to Demeter and Kore, reinforcing their connection to fertility. The interpretation of Lokhaia as an epithet of Damia suggests a link between the deity and the act of childbirth, as Lokhaia was traditionally associated with Artemis, the protector of childbirth. The combination of Damia and Auxesia could reflect the presence of specific rituals related to fertility, especially in Thera, where several inscriptions reflect the worship of these deities.