« Au Génie des bronziers de Diar[-] »

Abstract

A statuette of a male figure with an inscribed base was discovered during the 19"1 century on the site of the antique villa of La Dent in Meyzieu (Isère). We will prefer A. Allmer's version « to the Genie of Diar's bronze makers » rather than the interpretation proposed by Hirschfeld which was adopted in the ILN (« to the Genie of the Diarenses Tresor », the genie himself being represented under the traits of a male figure, which is a rare image of a craftsman's divinity. The small professional group, which realized this offering to their protective genie, worked on the site of the villa, probably during its decline, but in any case outside of an urban framework.