Deciphering the Getty Hexameters

Scholars from as far away as England and Holland and as near as Westwood recently gathered at the Getty Villa to decipher and discuss an enigmatic ancient Greek text inscribed on a now-fragmentary lead tablet.

These so-called “Getty Hexameters” date to the fourth century BC and are of great interest to historians of ancient Greek poetry, religion, and magic.

The lead tablet bearing the verses is quite small, originally about the size of half a sheet of letter paper, and the lead on which the text is written is thin and thus has become very fragile. Lead was commonly used for inscriptions during this period both because it was available in abundance as a by-product in the refining of silver, and because it is soft, which means it can be easily written upon by scratching it with a stylus or pressing letter forms into it.

As a result, many lead tablets with ancient Greek texts survive, unlike those written on wax or papyrus, which have not stood the test of time. Most of the texts found on lead tablets are quite short. Pithy curses, for example, have been found in wells, where they were deliberately thrown in order to bring them closer to the gods of the Underworld, to whom they were usually addressed.

The text of the Getty tablet is not a curse, however; in fact, it is composed in dactylic hexameter, a meter best known from Greek hymns and epic poetry, including Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey.

While the text has yet to be fully deciphered, some of it is known in other versions, and comparisons to these variants offer important information about the practice of inscribing amulets and about how this practice likely evolved from oral incantations.

Historians of religion are particularly intrigued by passages that present some kind of sacred tale involving the goddesses Demeter, Persephone, and Hekate, as well as the god Paian, a healing deity often associated with Apollo or Asklepios. Therefore, it appears that this tablet served a protective function, but further research is needed in order to understand it more fully.

Cosponsored by the Center for the Study of Ancient Religions at the University of Chicago, and co-organized by Professor Christopher Faraone, a former Getty Villa Scholar, the gathering at the Villa began with a close reading of the text, drawing on sketches, photographs, and, most importantly, the tablet itself, which was temporarily removed from storage for up-close analysis. Invited speakers addressed various aspects of the texts, and vigorous discussion followed.

Research will continue on this enigmatic object, which we hope will reveal more of its secrets with further study.