Stela of Penna Sant'Andrea

The Stela of Penna Sant'Andrea (TM 78186 ) is the best preserved of a set of three similar stelae with texts in the South Picene script, used to write down Italic (or in this case Sabellic) languages. It is also known as Sabine script since it was also used in the heartland of the Sabines. The stela, found in 1973-1974 and now preserved in the archaeological museum in Chieti, is dated to the 5th century BC, not too long after the famous statue of the Warrior of Capestrano. The tapering of the stone at the top may even suggest that this man wore a similar hat, carved separately.