The paper publishes a fragmentary inscription painted on two pieces of a small open vessel found at Selinunte (Temple R) by the IFA- NYU and Unimi Mission during the 2023 campaign. The painted inscription, placed on the inside of the bowl, was characterized using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) in situ, and micro-Raman spectroscopy on a micro-sample, revealing the use of an ochre pigment. The inscription shows a few but clearly legible letters that can be read as part of an anthroponym or a theonym. The archaeological context and the state of conservation of the fragment suggest that the object is related to the phases preceding the construction of Temple R (628-570 BC) or, alternatively, that it was used in connection with the activities related to the construction of the building.