PB Greek sling bullet. Thrace (c. 4th–1st centuries BC)
Sling bullet is with an image of a bee on one side and with an inscription ΚΑΛΑ (Κάλα, Kala) on the other, which may be a name.
Cf. Concordia 9, 900–902.
Well known are other similar lead sling bullets – practically with alternating symbols – bee and scorpion, as on them invariably is written Κάλα, which is believed to originate from the island of Rhodes. On these sling bullets Κάλα can both be a name – Kalas, probably a military commander, so can not be a name, but a word neuter plural – καλά, which should be translated as ‘nice things’. Of course, the irony here would be obvious. These ‘nice things’ are designed to destroy enemies and to sting like a bee or scorpion, and the message of those with the image of a bee can be understood as: “nice things sting like a bee.” See, M. Manov – N. Torbov 2016, ‘Inscribed Lead Sling Bullets with the Name of Alexander the Great and with Other Names and Symbols Found in Thrace’, Archaeologia Bulgarica 20, 32.
Weight: 27.89 g.
Diameter: 32.78 mm.