- chapter 22: The Etruscan language –
Other short inscriptions, albeit linguistically structured, are marked by a distinctly
formulaic character. The text is composed starting from a pre-existing form (a “formulaic
schema”), which indicates linguistically the ownership of an object by a certain person,
or the dedication of the object (by a certain person) (to a certain person), occurring in
statements such as “of X,” “this object is of X,” “I am of X,” “X has given me (to Y).”
The object may be the tomb and the owner or dedicatee may be a deity, according to the
form of votive dedications (Maras 2009).
Examples:
(6) Vs 2.8 (Orvieto, vessel, fi fth century bc): uχus “of Uchu”
(7) Cr 4.8 (Pyrgi, dipinto on vase, late sixth-early fi fth century bc): unial “of Uni” (Fig.
22.10)
(8) Cr 2.51 (Caere, vase, 575–550 bc): uχus θafna “cup of Uchu”
(9) Cr 2.13 (Caere, vase of silver, 650–600 bc): mi larθia “I (am) of Larth”
(10) Vs 1.4 (Volsinii, lintel of chamber tomb, 550–500 bc): mi mamarces velθienas “I
(am) of Mamarce Velthienas” (Fig. 22.11)
(11) Cr 2.20 (Caere, graffi to on vase, 675–650 bc): mi qutum karkanas “I (am) the pitcher
of Karkana” (Fig. 22.12)
(12) Cr 2.33 (Caere, vase, 650–625 bc): mi squrias θina mlaχ mlakas “I (am) the pitcher
of Squria, a beautiful thing for a beautiful woman”
(13) Ve 3.6 (Veii, graffi to on vase, c. 600 bc): mini mulvanice karcuna tulumnes “Karcuna
Tulumnes has given me”
(14) AT 3.1 (Corneto, graffi to on vase, seventh century bc, second half): mi mulu kaviiesi
“I (was) given to Kavie” (Fig. 22.13)
(15) Ta 3.2. (Tarquinia, graffi to on vase, late sixth century bc): itun turuce venel atelinas
tinas cliniiaras “Venel Atelinas has dedicated this (kylix) to the sons of Tinia’ (the
Dioscuri) (Fig. 22.14)
(16) Cm 2.13 (Suessula, graffi to on vase, late fi fth century bc, fi rst half): mi χuliχna qupes
alθrnas ei minipi capi “I (am) the cup of Cupe Althrna, do not take me” (Fig. 22.15)
It is remarkable that, especially in the Archaic period, these inscriptions of possession
or gift/dedication are made in the form of so-called “speaking inscriptions” based on a
stylistic pretense that it is the object on which the inscription is found which declares its
ownership or its destination for a certain personage. It is also remarkable that the form
of “speaking inscriptions,” like others such as “prohibition against theft” or the stylistic
feature of the “beautiful object of/for a nice person,” used to supplement the formula for
possession or a gift/dedication, goes beyond the scope of the Etruscan language, and is
found in Greek, Latin and other languages of ancient Italy. So to the aforementioned mi
larθia “I (am) of Larth” correspond formulas such as Latin Marci sum “(I) am of Marcus,”
Oscan Kanuties sim “(I) am of Kanutie” and Greek Σοταίρō ει̉μί, “(I) am of Sotairos”;
to the formula cited above, mi Squrias θina mlaχ mlakas “I (am) the pitcher of Squria,
a beautiful thing for a beautiful woman,” corresponds non-urban Latin (Faliscan) eco
quton...Titias duenom duenas “I (am) the koton...of Titia, a beautiful thing for a beautiful
woman” and Greek Αριστοκλείας ε̉μί τας καλάς καλά “(I) am the beautiful (kylix) of
beautiful Aristokleia.” To ei minipi capi cited above, fi nally, correspond Latin expressions
like ne atigas me “don’t touch me,” noli me tangere “don’t touch me,” noli me tollere “don’t
take me away,” and the like, and in Greek inscriptions, μέ θίγες “do not touch (me),” μή
με άνοιγε “do not take me away,” and the like.