Overview
- The carved bone instrument, about 13.2 centimeters long, was recovered in Gela during supervised excavations tied to a new Palace of Culture.
- Its handle bears a bearded head and an erect phallus, details specialists associate with Dionysus and with herm-like protective symbolism.
- The Superintendency dates the piece to the fifth century BCE and calls it a truly unique example of ancient craftsmanship.
- Experts suggest it served as a votive offering or a high-status tool, and the excavation director says it may also have functioned as a talisman.
- The same investigation revealed a large Hellenistic-era neighborhood, and the stylus is slated for conservation and public display.