L’iconographie d’un accessoire de mise en scène (iie-ive siècles). Problèmes d'interprétation

The repertoire of theatrical iconography sometimes includes a fixed implement which highlights one Greek letter out of five, placed in a semi-circle around the upper half of a disc. This accessory is associated exclusively with stage artists, actors and musicians. It has been identified in the past as a hydraulic organ or bronteion, but its composition corresponds neither to literary descriptions nor to representations. An attentive examination shows that we should also dismiss the hypothesis of an implement for drawing lots, comparable to those used in wrestling and equestrian competitions. Several new interpretations might be offered. Berlin papyrus 13927 suggests that the letters of the motif might correspond to the different parts of a theatrical show. Clearly visible on the stage, the motif could evoke a stagehand’s levers, or even an implement intended to facilitate the synchronisation of the production. It does not allude to any specific event; its image is enough to symbolise the world of the stage in general.