that record at least some use of the Latin language or a close dialectal
variant. The table shows uses of inscriptions roughly comparable to those
found in Greece and Etruria, listed by percentage for the given historical
period. There are two versions of the last column (for the first century
B.C.), one excludingtesserae(inscribed bits of bone and ivory) andglandes
(sling bullets), the other including them.
16
Table 6.1.Sources for Greek and Etruscan Writing
700 650 650 600 600 550 550 500 500 450Crete
Dedications 0 16 0 0 5
Gravestones 0 1 0 1 3
Legal 0 2 4 12 5
Graffiti 1 1 0 3 0
Dipinti 0 0 0 0 0
Athens and Attica
Dedications 4 5 14 115 211
Gravestones 0 2 7 46?
Legal 0 0 0 2 4
Graffiti 73 81 200 þ 200 þ 200 þ
Dipinti 4 4 200 þ 200 þ 200 þ
South Etruria
Dedications 0 0 0 4
Gravestones 0 3 5 113
Legal 0 0 0 0
Graffiti
Dedicatory 3 5 59 63
Possessive 25 52 45 45
Dipinti 0 0 0 1
Single letters 10 13 47 52
North Etruria
Dedications 0 0 0 0
Gravestones 0 2 3 5
Legal 0 0 0 0
Graffiti
Dedicatory 0 0 0 0
Possessive 1 10 6 5
Dipinti 0 0 0 0
Single letters 1 3 61 10
Source: Following Stoddart and Whitley 1988.
- Thetesserae nummulariae(ILLRP2.987 1063) are bits of bone or ivory that verify
the contents of the container to which they are affixed: see Andreau 1999, 80 9.Glandes
(ILLRP2.1088 1120) are sling bullets inscribed with curses or threats against the enemy.
Many surviving examples are from the siege of Perugia in 43 42B.C. The numbers of both,
which are cheap and easy to produce, distort the ratios of different uses of writing,
especially those involving display of status. For this reason, I have tabulated uses both
with and without the tesserae and glandes.
118 Situating Literacies