Tabula Capuana

Horizontal scribed lines divide the text into ten sections. The writing is most similar to that used in Campania in the mid-5th century BC, though surely the text being transcribed is much older. The text is boustrophedon, with the first line to be read left to right, the next right to left, etc.

Attempts at deciphering the text (Mauro Cristofani, 1995) are most generally based on the supposition that it prescribes certain rites on certain days of the year at certain places for certain deities. The ten visible sections seem to each be devoted to a different month, March through December, January and February presumably having been treated in the missing top sections. The text itself was edited by Francesco Roncalli, in Scrivere etrusco, 1985.{{cite book|title=Scrivere etrusco: dalla leggenda alla conoscenza, scrittura e letteratura nei massimi documenti della lingua etrusca|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wlvzoAEACAAJ|year=1985|publisher=Electa editrice}}

Recently, a major scholar in the field, Bouke van der Meer, has proposed a "very tentative partial word-for-word translation" of the text:Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. pp. 165 - 173 https://www.academia.edu/21561609/Some_comment_on_the_Tabula_Capuana_in_Studi_Etruschi_77_2014_2015_149_175

(/ indicates line break; some word breaks are uncertain) Alessandro Morandi Epigrafia Italica Rome, 1982, p.40Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. pp. 165 - 173

The first legible section likely is devoted to rituals to be held in March (though the Etruscan word for this month, Velcitna, does not occur in the legible text, presumably because it was in the missing parts).

There are three to five initial lines missing and then 30-50 characters missing in the initial damaged lines shown here.Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. pp. 165

:: ...vacil.../²ai savcnes satiriasa.../³...[nunθ?]eri θuθcu

:: vacil śipir śuri leθamsul

::: ci tartiria /⁴ cim cleva

::::ac asri halχtei

:: vacil iceu śuni savlasie...

(~5-8 characters broken off at the end of this line)

::: /⁵[mul]u rizile picasri

::::savlasieis

:: vacil lunaśie vaca iχnac

::::fuli/⁶nuśnes

:: vacil savcnes itna

::: mulu rizile picasri

::::iane

:: vacil l/⁷eθamsul scuvune

::::marzac saca⋮

Notes:

In line 1 and throughout, vacil may mean "libation" (or some similar rite or ceremony), in which case each of the first phrases beginning with it presumably indicate what deity to pour a libation to and perhaps other information.Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p. 162-3 However, Steinbauer (agreeing with Rix) has challenged this assumption and, considering that it seems to be positioned at the beginning of a series of phrases within the context of a step-by-step instruction, proposed that vacil (with its variants vacal and vacl) simply means "then."Steinbauer, D. Neues Handbuch des Etruskischen, St. Katherine, 1999. pp. 86-87

In line 2, savc-nes according to van der Meer is an Apolline god, perhaps related in form to saucsaθ at 3.15 of the Liber Linteus. The form in the Liber Linteus, preceded as here by the term vacl "libation," also falls in a section that probably deals with March, though as here there is no explicit mention of a month name. The relevant text from that passage of the Liber Linteus is as follows (3.15-3.17): vacl . an . ścanince . saucsaθ . persin / cletram . śrenχve . iχ . ścanince . ciz . vacl / ara roughly: "The libation which was poured to Sauc- Pers- (should be performed) with the decorated litter just as it had been poured (before); perform the libation three times."L. B. van der Meer Liber linteus zagrabiensis. The Linen Book of Zagreb. A Comment on the Longest Etruscan Text. Louvain/Dudley, MA 2007 pp. 78-82

Note that the ending -nes/-nis also occurs in the forms fulinuś-nes (5-6) and caθ-nis (9), all referring to deities. L. B. van der Meer Liber linteus zagrabiensis. The Linen Book of Zagreb. A Comment on the Longest Etruscan Text. Louvain/Dudley, MA 2007 p. 74

In line 2, satiriasa (if one word) may be a form of Satre the Etruscan term for Saturn, which also appears on the Piacenza Liver among chthonic deities.Pallottino, Massimo (1955). The Etruscans. Penguin Books. Translated from the Italian by J. Cremona. p.100 Or it could be in some way connected to or contrasting with tartiria at the end of line 3.Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p. 163

In line three, śuri is a (not necessarily exclusively) chthonic deity.L. Bouke van der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. pp. 154-5 The form also appears on the Lead Plaque of Magliano. Leθam-s appears on the Piacenza Liver among chthonic deities, but may have other connections as well. The genitive is used here as usual for indirect object.Rex E. Wallace "Language, Alphabet, and Linguistic Affiliation" in A Companion To The Etruscans, editors S. Bell and A. A. Carpino, Wiley Blackwell, 2016, pp. 203-224; p. 217

In lines three and four, ci(m) means "three," and both tartiria and cleva indicate kinds of offerings, yielding a possible partial translation: "To Lethams, three tartiria (perhaps related to Greek Tartaros, as if '(gifts) for the underworld'?) offerings and three cleva offerings ..."Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. pp. 165-173 In line 4, halχ- is likely the name of a kind of vase.Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. pp. 165 - 173 p. 16

A verbal form of vacil may be seen in line 5: vac-a "make a libation (to)?"; But van der Meer reads faca here, with unknown meaning. A similar form, vac-i is in line 28, also preceding a form of

fuli/nuśnes.Bouke van der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p.163 Also in line 5, lunaśie brings to mind the Roman moon goddess, Luna (which some equate with Cath, see below).

pi-cas(ri) (5,6) is defined by Pallottino as a verb of offering, to be compared with a-cas "to do; to offer." Pallottino, Massimo (1955). The Etruscans. Penguin Books. Translated from the Italian by J. Cremona. pp.225-234 mulu- (4/5, 6) and scu- (7, 10) seem to be roots meaning "to offer, give" and "finish", respectively; and sac- means "carry out a sacred act; consecrate."Pallottino, Massimo (1955). The Etruscans. Penguin Books. Translated from the Italian by J. Cremona. pp.225-234 In lines 5-6, fuli/nuśnes may be a form of Fufluns, the Etruscan Dionysus who is associated with the Etruscan goddess Caθa who also seems to be mentioned in this text (see below).Thomson de Grummond, Nancy. Myth and Sacred History, 2006, p. 59Pallottino, M. (1975). The Etruscans. London: Penguin Books. p 248 A somewhat similar form, fuln[folnius] can be found on line 29 of the Tabula Cortonensis.Thomson de Grummond, Nancy. Myth and Sacred History, 2006, p. 59

Note the frequent repetitions (besides vacil): savcnes(2, 6); leθamsul(3, 6/7, 8...); mulu-ri zile picas-ri(4/5, 6, 18/19 but with...a-cas-ri rather than pi-cas-ri); savlasie(is)(4, 5); scu-vune marza(c)(7) versus marza...scuvse(10)...

The tentative partial translation by van der Meer, building on the work of many others suggests this part of the ritual calendar calls for an indeterminate offering be made to the god Saucne, and that libations be performed for the gods Śuri and Letham as well as for the gods Saulasie and Fulinusne. Furthermore, that a gifted rizile be accepted in [the period of?] Iana. And that, the libation to Letham having been properly completed, a marza be consecrated.Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149

The second section seems to be devoted to rituals to be held in April.

:: iśveitule ilucve apirase

:::: leθamsul ilucu cuiesχu perpri

::: cipen apires /⁹ racvanies huθ zusle

:: rithnaitultei

:::: snuza in te hamaiθi

::::: civeis caθnis fan/¹⁰iri

:::: marza in te hamaiθi

::::: ital sacri

:::: utus ecunzai

::::: iti alχu

::::::scuvse riθnaitu/¹¹ltei

::: ci zusle acun siricima nunθeri

::: eθ iśuma zuslevai apire nunθer/¹²i

::::: avθleθ aium

:::: vacil ia leθamsul nunθeri

:::: vacil ia riθnaita

::: eθ aθene/¹³ica perpri

::celutule apirase unialθi turza esχaθce

:::ei iśum unialθ ara

::::/¹⁴epnicei nunθcu ciiei turzai

::::riθnaita eiti ia halχ

::apertule aφes ilucu vacil zuχn/¹⁵e...

::elφa riθnaitultrais

:::vanec calus zusleva atu[unis]ne

:::inpa vinaiθ acas

::aφ/¹⁶es

:::ci tartiria ci turza riθnaitula

::::snenaziulastra

:::vaiuser hivus niθusc riθnaitula

::::hivustra

:::vaiuser snenaziulas

Notes: Line 8 shows the form isvei which occurs frequently in the Liber Linteus where it appears to mean "festival" or "ides". If the form iśum in line 13 is related, it may mean "festive" or (more likely) "appropriate for a sacred festival" > "sacred." The form tul(e) (8, 9, 10) in some contexts means "stone", perhaps related to tular "border" (< "stone marking a border"?),Pallottino, Massimo (1955). The Etruscans. Penguin Books. Translated from the Italian by J. Cremona. pp.225-234 itself probably related to (or the origin of?) Umbrian tuder "boundary"; also the origin of the Umbrian town name Todi.J. Poultney, The Bronze Tables of Iguvium, 1959 Here it seems to mean "(on or after) the ides (of a particular month)."van der Meer, L.B. "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p. 157 According to van der Meer, iluc-ve/u (twice in line 8) means "feast."van der Meer, L. B. "Some comment on the Tabula Capuana," in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p.166. https://www.academia.edu/21561609/Some_comment_on_the_Tabula_Capuana_in_Studi_Etruschi_77_2014_2015_149_175 Of course, iśvei and tule can't both mean "ides", and in any case, the Latin ides originally fell on the full moon and was sacred to Jupiter, but since the deities recognizable here are underworld (leθams and caθ), tul may instead refer to the dark phase of the moon, or the new moon (Latin kalends). As van der Meer points out elaborately elsewhere, the contrast between light and dark gods was very important for the Etruscan calendar and for how they divided up the heavens.L. B. van der Meer Liber linteus zagrabiensis. The Linen Book of Zagreb. A Comment on the Longest Etruscan Text. Louvain/Dudley, MA 2007 pp. 65 ff

apirase may mean "(in the) month of April."van der Meer, L. B. "Some comment on the Tabula Capuana," in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p.166. https://www.academia.edu/21561609/Some_comment_on_the_Tabula_Capuana_in_Studi_Etruschi_77_2014_2015_149_175 See above for Leθam-sul. Van der Meer translates pep-ri as "must be held."Van Der Meer, Bouke. "Some comment on the Tabula Capuana," in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p.166. https://www.academia.edu/21561609/Some_comment_on_the_Tabula_Capuana_in_Studi_Etruschi_77_2014_2015_149_175 cipen seems to be a priestly title (with variants cepa(r), cepe(n)).Pallottino, Massimo (1955). The Etruscans. Penguin Books. Translated from the Italian by J. Cremona. pp.226

huθ in line 9 means "six", and ci in line 11 means "three." zusle(-vai) (9, 11) means "sacrificial victims" perhaps specifically "piglets."Van Der Meer, Bouke. "Some comment on the Tabula Capuana," in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p.166. https://www.academia.edu/21561609/Some_comment_on_the_Tabula_Capuana_in_Studi_Etruschi_77_2014_2015_149_175Pallottino, Massimo (1955). The Etruscans. Penguin Books. Translated from the Italian by J. Cremona. pp.225-234

At the end of line 9, caθ-nis may be a form of Catha, an Etruscan goddess, with an ending -nis/-nes also seen above in other theonymns: savc-nes (lines 2 and 6) and fuli/nuś-nes (lines 5-6). Rarely depicted in art, she is number 8 (among celestial gods) and number 23 on the Piacenza Liver.Thulin, Carl (1906). Die Götter des Martianus Capella und der Bronzeleber von Piacenza (in German). Alfred Töpelmann. Downloadable Google Books.pages 50 and 65.

sacri (10) is certainly connected to words meaning "sacred; victim for sacrifice"—Latin sacer, Umbrian sacra sakra, Oscan sakri-, and to 'saca' in line 7 above.A Companion to the Etruscans edited by Sinclair Bell, Alexandra A. Carpino, 2014, Wiley. p219Pallottino, Massimo (1955). The Etruscans. Penguin Books. Translated from the Italian by J. Cremona. pp.225-234

nunθe-ri (11 twice) seems to be a verb "invoke" or "offer", with the necessitive ending -ri also seen in pep-ri(8), picas-ri(5), mulu-ri(4/5), and perhaps śu-ri(3) and sac-ri(10).van der Meer, L.B. "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p. 156, 166 eθ (11, 12) means "thus."van der Meer, L.B. "Some comment on the Tabula Capuana," in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p.166. https://www.academia.edu/21561609/Some_comment_on_the_Tabula_Capuana_in_Studi_Etruschi_77_2014_2015_149_175 avθ-leθ (12) may be related to avθa "northwind; eagle."Pallottino, Massimo (1955). The Etruscans. Penguin Books. Translated from the Italian by J. Cremona. pp.225-234

The word acun in line 11 may be from Greek agon (ἀγών) originally "struggle", which came to be used as a term for festivals involving competitive sports; compare Latin Agonalia festivals in honor of Janus in Rome held in January, March, May and December. Later forms show syncope (loss of word-internal vowels): acn-es-em on the Liber Linteus (10.5)) and acn-s . priumn-es "the agon of Priam" on the left side of the Volterna urn.van der Meer, L.B. Liber linteus zagrabiensis. The Linen Book of Zagreb. A Comment on the Longest Etruscan Text. Louvain/Dudley, MA 2007 pp. 133-134

The tentative partial translation by van der Meer, building on the work of many others, suggests this part of the ritual calendar calls: for a Cuieschu Feast to be performed for the god Letham on the Feast of April [which is] on the Ides; that Racvanies be the Priest of April; that six piglets be offered for the ritual ; that a snuza, which [is] in the [area of?] Hamai, be declared by Cive [and] by Cathni; and that a statuette of Mariś, which is in the [area of?] Hamai, be consecrated for Ita (? or "for this (festival)"?); that utu be given with ecun and with scuvsa by the Ita priest in the ritual; that three piglets and an acun siricima be offered, and further that iśuma (sanctified items?) be offered with the April piglets in theavθla, but (in this case) for Aiu; that a libation be offered to Letham here (="at this point"?); that a libation be made here (as part of?) the ritual; furthermore that the (sacrifice to?) aθena be held; concerning the love gifts placed in Uni's sanctuary on Earth Day (celitule) in April, take away (any that are not) iśum (sanctified?) in Uni's sanctuary; that three gifts be offered in epn- (and?) a vase (halχ) here in the eit (of the?) ritual; that a libation (be performed) on the Aperta day for the Festival of Aphe in zuchn-; that an offering be made of elfa by the people involved in the ritual, and of young Adonis (?) boars for Calu with vana in the vineyard; that the people of the cult of the servant girl, and the vaiuser priest (?) of Hivu and of Nithu, and the people of Hivu, and the vaiuser of the cult of the servant girl (make an offering of) three tartiria (and) three love gifts for Aphe during the ritual.

Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149

:: iśvei tule ilucve anp[ili]e laruns ilucu huχ

:::: śanti huri alχu esχaθ canulis

:: mulu/¹⁹ rizile zizri

:: inpa [...] an acasri

:: tiniantule leθamsul ilucu perpri

:::: śanti arvus/²⁰ta aius nunθeri

Larun, Canuli, Tinia, and Aiu are names of Etruscan gods; huχ may mean "celebrate", alχu "given," esχaθ "bring, place"; arvusta "(produce of the) field" (compare Umbrian arvam "field"; arvia "fruits of the field, grain").Poultney, James. The Bronze Tables of Iguvium. Blackwell, Oxford. 1959. p.298

Again, in van der Meer's tentative translation, in summary, the text calls: for a Festival for Larun to be celebrated on the Feast Day of May (namely) on the ides; that Canulis should bring the gifted huri (wild fruits?) vase; that the gifted rizile that must be offered (during ...?) must be ziz-ed; that the feast for Lethams must be held on the day of Tinia; and the vase of the fruits of the field be offered to Aiu.Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p. 168

::acalve apertule saiuvie leθamsul ilucu perpri

:::śanti ma(c)vilutule

:::::iti/²²r śver

:::falal [...] husilitule

::velθur t[....]sc lavtun icni seri. turza esχaθce

::p/²³acusnausie θanurari turza esχa[θce]

::nis[c l]avtun icni zusle [ś]ilaciiul eses

:::salχe/²⁴i calaieic

:::len[..]ai stizaitei

::::z[a]l rapa z[al..........]

::[..]niiac [l]avtun icni seril turza e/²⁵sχaθce

:::laχuθ nunθe[ri...]

::::ei[tu] acasri

:::laχθ turzais . esχa[θce]

::::[ecl..]θ[u] acas θe

:::zusleva/²⁶ stizaitei acasri

::pacus[naśi]eθu[r]

:::laθiumia[i zusle]i

:::[ś]iχaiei t[ar]tiriiai

:::zanusei pepθiai

::ra/²⁷tu ceχiniaitei turza esχaθce eθ[.......]

Notes: in line 23, the deity Thanur (Thanr) is a goddess frequently present at the birth of other Etruscan deities and is part of the circle of Turan.Bonfante, Giuliano; Bonfante, Larissa (2002). The Etruscan Language: an Introduction. Manchester: University of Manchester Press. p.206 ISBN 0-7190-5540-7.Cristofani, M. (1995) Tabula Capuana: Un calendario festivo di età arcaica. Firenze. p.70. But in the Lead Plaque of Magliano, she appears amongst mostly underworld deities, suggesting she is both a goddess of birth and of death.Maras, D. F. (1998) "La dea Thanr e le cerchie divine in Etruria- nuove acquisizioni" in Studi Etrusci 64, pp. 173-179. The form laχ(u)- "basin" (twice in line 25) may be akin to Latin lacus "basin, water, lake."Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p. 170

Summarizing van der Meer, the text calls: for a feast for Lethams to be prepared in June on the day of Aperta Saiuvia; for the priest of Ita and of Sva to (present) a dish on the fifth day, and a falal (gift of heaven?) on the day of Husiluta; that seri gifts will have been brought by Velthur and by the T... family; that gifts will have been brought for Thanur by the Pacusnausia (family?); and that some piglets (will have been brought) by the Nis family for Shilaciia Esa, with salcha and with calaia, with len..a and with stizaita, (and) two cups and two...; that the ..nia family will also have brought some seri gifts; that the offerings be made in a basin (laχuθ); that eitu must be made (as an offering); that (those gifts placed) in the basin be those gifts that were brought; that hereby elthu be made; (and) that an offering of piglets be made in the stiza; the Pacusnasia family will have brought gifts ritually in the cachina thus--with lathiuma and with a piglet, with śiχaia and with t[ar]tiriia, with zanuse and with pepθia...Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p. 168-170

Taking up lines 28-30. According to a gloss TLE 854, the name of July in Etruscan should be Traneus, but the names of the Etruscan months may have varied from place to place, as they did in Greece.Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p. 170

::parθumi ilucve iśveitule tinunus seθumsal ilucu perpri

:::cipen tartiria vaci / fulinuśn[es.....]

::::/[..]etula

::natinusnal . ilucu

:::ituna fulinuśnai . θenunt

::eθu[...]

Summarizing van der Meer, the text calls: for a festival to be held in July on the Feast of the Ides for Tinun (and) for Sethums; that a priest pour a libation (over?) tartiria gifts for Fulinushnai; [here follows illegible material ending with] of...eta; that a feast (be prepared) for Natinushna; that Fulinushnai hold this (?); [and the rest is illegible, except for an initial] eθu...Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p. 170

Taking up lines 31-35. From this point on, the tablet is badly damaged and almost no coherent translations can even be attempted beyond the first line below. Again, gloss TLE 854 indicates that the name of August in Etruscan should be [H]ermius, but the names of the Etruscan months may have varied from place to place.Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p. 170

::macvilutule papui[....]se ilu[cve...]θasχra turza esχa[θ...]e[s] rapa

Tentative translation of first line: On the fifth day of August, on the (day) of the feast (of ?), bring ...-θasχra gifts and cups. [The rest is mostly obscure.]Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175. p. 170

The tablet was uncovered in 1898 in the burial ground of Santa Maria Capua Vetere.{{cite book|author1=Sinclair Bell|author-link=Sinclair Bell|author2=Alexandra A. Carpino|title=A Companion to the Etruscans|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-xpcCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA210|date=9 December 2015|publisher=Wiley|isbn=978-1-118-35498-8|pages=210–}}

{{Reflist}}

• Cristofani, M. (1995) Tabula Capuana: Un calendario festivo di età arcaica Firenze.
• Rendeli, M (200) "Tabula Capuana" in A. Carandini and R. Cappelli (eds.) Roma, Romolo, Remo et la fondazione della città. Milano. pp. 360-361.
• Grünwedel, A. (1922) Tusca. 1. Die Agramer mumienbinden. 2. Die inschrift des cippus von Perugia. 3. Die Pulena-rolle. 4. Das bleitäfelchen von Magliano. 5. Die leber von Piacenza. 6. Golini-grab I. 7. Die inschrift von Capua. Leipzig : K. W. Hiersemann. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001724165
• van der Meer, L. B. "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 [2015], 149-175.
• Wylin, K. (1997) Review of Cristofani, M. (1995). in Revue belge de Philologie et d'Histoire 75-1 pp. 191-192.

• [http://spazioinwind.libero.it/popoli_antichi/Etruschi/tegola.html Basic information, adopted for this entry; photograph] (Italian)
• [http://www.mysteriousetruscans.com/curtun.html Curtun (Modern Cortona)]
• [http://www.pittau.it/Etrusco/Tabula_Capuana/capuana.html Full Etruscan text and proposed translation into Italian ]

{{Etruscans}}

Category:5th-century BC inscriptions

Category:1898 archaeological discoveries

Category:Clay tablets

Category:Etruscan artefacts

Category:Etruscan ceramics

Category:Etruscan inscriptions

Category:Capua (ancient city)

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