# ΣΤΕΛΙΩ Η ΣΤFΑΧΑ



## larshgf

View attachment 72706

I guess ΣΤΕΛΙΩ is a name.
But the word Η ΣΤFΑΧΑ ????
I was asked by a friend who found this inscription as a memory from the greek civilwar.


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## Perseas

If I click on the view attachment, it reads "You do not have permission to view this page or perform this action".


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## larshgf

I will try to insert the picture again.....


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## Perseas

"H ..... TOY ΣΤΕΛΙΟΥ".
Ι really can't recognize the word in the second line.


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## Apollodorus

This may sound a bit far-fetched, but considering (a) that the inscription is "from the civil war" and assuming (b) that “F” stands for “Φ”, could “ΣTFAΧA” be connected with σφαγή < σφάζω /sfazo/, “to slay”, as in, say, “H σφαγή των Ποντίων (από τους Τούρκους)”?


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## larshgf

Apollodorus said:


> This may sound a bit far-fetched, but considering (a) that the inscription is "from the civil war" and assuming (b) that “F” stands for “Φ”, could “ΣTFAΧA” be connected with σφαγή < σφάζω /sfazo/, “to slay”, as in, say, “H σφαγή των Ποντίων (από τους Τούρκους)”?


So something like the violent killing of Stelios? I guess Στελιω is a name...


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## Perseas

larshgf said:


> Στελιω


The last symbol is ου not ω, so it's the genitive of Στέλιος (i.e. Στέλιου), a male name.

"Η σφαγή του Στέλιου" (the killing/slaughter of Stelios) would make sense, but the second word on the inscription looks very strange and makes no sense. Is it maybe about a disguised reference to "σφαγή"?


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## Apollodorus

Correct. What looks like an "O" (not "Ω/ω") is actually "OY" (omicron-ypsilon) or "OU" with the "Y" above forming a ligature with the "O" underneath, as in some forms of (Greek-derived) Cyrillic script

The second word is definitely _very _strange. But even when a word appears to makes no sense, we must start from the premise that it was written to convey a meaning. So, the question is, what could the meaning be in the given context?

IMO it might be helpful to know more about the date and place of the inscription. Also, is it an original archaeological find, a replica, or ... ?


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## larshgf

Apollodorus said:


> Correct. What looks like an "O" (not "Ω/ω") is actually "OY" (omicron-ypsilon) or "OU" with the "Y" above forming a ligature with the "O" underneath, as in some forms of (Greek-derived) Cyrillic script
> 
> The second word is definitely _very _strange. But even when a word appears to makes no sense, we must start from the premise that it was written to convey a meaning. So, the question is, what could the meaning be in the given context?
> 
> IMO it might be helpful to know more about the date and place of the inscription. Also, is it an original archaeological find, a replica, or ... ?


My friend could not say anything about the dating, but gave me this location (on the weatern part of the isle of Samos) of the memorial:


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## Apollodorus

OK, so we know the location of the memorial. But how is the inscription related to the memorial? Was (is) it on display as part of the memorial? If so, is there a description or other relevant info? How did your friend "find this inscription as a memory"? Who labelled it "Inskription fra borgerkrigen"?

The two main possibilities for word 2 seem to be (1) a coded word or (perhaps less likely) (2) a misspelling by a writer who was only partly familiar with Greek orthography and/or language (e.g., a non-Greek or Greek from the diaspora).

If it is a coded word, it may (or may not) refer to something like the “Killing(-place) of Stelios” which in turn may be a reference to a secret cache of weapons, ammunition, or some other such war materiel, etc., etc.

Unless anyone here has in-depth knowledge of the Greek Civil War, it may be worth trying a history or archaeology forum or other relevant social media like YouTube. With a bit of luck, you might even find someone who knows about the inscription and its author(s)!

As they say, “ποτέ δεν ξέρεις” (“man ved aldrig”) …. 🙂


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## larshgf

According to my friend there is a statue without inscription and beside this statue was placed two memorial inscriptions. Here is a picture of the other stone with its inscription:





Obviously this is more official compared to the other one that looks like a work of an amateur. As I was able to translate the above without any problems I did not showed this to you. I think I should have done that after all. 🤪


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## Apollodorus

So, the "inscription from the war" turns out to be an inscription from after the war.

I knew that Danes have a peculiar sense of humour .... 🙂


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## larshgf

😂😂


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## bearded

Perseas said:


> TOY ΣΤΕΛΙΟΥ


Between TOY and  ΣΤΕΛΙΟΥ I can see a mysterious letter (omikron with stress...?)


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## larshgf

The small stone inscription was made by someone who didnt know how to spell. This omikron could even be a small sigma.
This is - I believe - a "mission impossible". But thank you for you thoughts and inputs. 😀


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## Apollodorus

larshgf said:


> The small stone inscription was made by someone who didnt know how to spell.



1. He got TOY ΣΤΕΛΙΟΥ right and all letters are correct apart from the strange "F".

2. Even if he didn't know how to spell the word "ΣΤFAXA" he must have meant something by it.

3. He presumably knew what Σ and Τ stand for as he used them correctly in ΣΤΕΛΙΟΥ. So, it could be a word starting with Σ or ΣT, i.e. "H Σ(T) ....".

4. Assuming that there is a connection between the inscription and the war memorial, there may be locals who remember or otherwise know more about it, including the identity of "Stelios", etc.

So, it need not be entirely "mission impossible". It just seems less relevant if the inscription was made not during but after the war.

But it was a good story, anyway .... 🙂


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## Αγγελος

страх means 'fear' in Russian. Could the mysterious word ΣΤFΑΧΑ actually be ΣΤΡΑΧΑ, with the P glued to the A, and have something to do with the Slavic word?
Also, στράκα (with a K) _is _a Greek word, meaning the crack of a whip, and also a kind of firecracker. But even so, the inscription remains mysterious...


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