hn. sattiieis. detfri segnatted. plavtad herennis. amica signauit. qando. a- ponebamus. tegila(m) Detfri of Hn. Sattis signed with a footprint. Amica of Herens signed when we were laying out the tile. Oscan/Latin inscription and four shoe prints on a large clay roof tile (0.67 x 0.94m). Pietrabbondante, c. 100 BC. Imagines Italicae: Teruentum 25;... Continue Reading →
The Mysterious Case of the 112-year-old Woman
ahvdiú. ni. akun. CXII Ahvdio daughter of Ni. 112 years Oscan inscription on plaster. Teanum Sidicinum, c. 200 BC. Imagines Italicae: Teanum Sidicinum 24; Sabellische Texte: Po 51. People have struggled with Ahvdio's gravestone. On the one hand, the Roman numerals at the end of the inscription (on the left-hand-side of the picture) look quite... Continue Reading →
A 2500-Year-Old Tribute to a Lost Friend
ego vhontei ersiniioi vineti karis vivoi oliialekve murtuvoi atisteit I (am a grave) for Fonts Ersinios (He was) Vinetos's friend. He (Vinetos?) sets (me) up for (him), whether alive or dead. (Venetic inscription on stone. Este, Italy. c. 500-475 BC. M. Lejeune "Manuel de la Langue Vénète", #75 ter) I was very struck by this inscription the first... Continue Reading →
A Stone Talking to Itself
pis: tiú: íív: kúrú: púiiu: baíteís: aadiieís: ahfineís: Who are you? I am a stone. Whose? Baitis Aadiis Afinis's. (Oscan inscription on stone. Altilia, Italy. c. 150-90 BC. Imagines Italicae: Saepinum 2, Sabellische Texte: Sa 31) It's not often that I'm tempted to describe an inscription as "cute", but I've always found this short Oscan... Continue Reading →