Etruscan

Reading the Past

by Larissa Bonfante

Before the rise of Rome, the Etruscans dominated central Italy commercially and culturally. Significantly, it was the Etruscans who passed the alphabet on to the Romans. But in the first century B.C., when they had become Roman citizens and begun to speak Latin, their own language died out.

Being of non-Indo-European origin, Etruscan is extremely difficult to interpret, and the difficulty is increased by the fact that no Etruscan literature survives. A certain amount has, however, been reconstructed from inscriptions. Here Dr. Bonfante sets out the rudiments of pronunciation and grammar as they are understood so far. Analyzing inscriptions on a wide variety of objects, including mirrors and gems, vases, sarcophagi and coins, she shows what these fragmentary writings contribute to our knowledge of this still largely mysterious people.

The book also contains a list of Etruscan personal names and a glossary of Etruscan vocabulary. A final chapter discusses the Agnone Tablet, an important inscription in Oscan, which was spoken in central Italy at the same time as Etruscan.

Genres: Linguistics, Language, Archaeology

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[John Isles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Larissa Bonfante has written several books about the Etruscans and their language, which is not well understood and whose remains are fragmentary, but this account covers what is known clearly for the most part. Also included is a chapter on an unrelated Italian language, Oscan, which was spoken by the ancient Samnites. The illustrations are in black and white, and several of the photographs are reproduced too darkly for the inscriptions to be read.

I noticed a few errors, as follows. The modern pronunciation of "Coca Cola" in Tuscany that is supposed to reproduce the Etruscan aspirated ch is "hoha hola," not "hola hola." The discussions of the Etruscan digamma and Etruscan vowels confuse u, v, and w, long and short vowels, and open and closed vowels. The second genitive ending in Figure 34 is -s, not -ś, and in Figure 36 the name Thanchvilu does not end in -ss as shown in the transcription.

This guide also forms a section of the volume "Reading the Past" which incorporates five other British Museum booklets on early writing in the Western World and Middle East.

[Judy]

In antiquity based on Herodotus (C. 450 BCE) it was widely accepted the Lydian claims that they had founded the Etruscan cities. Later Dionysuis of Halicaarnassus, in the time of Augusta, questioned this theory because he said the Etruscans were native to Italy noting that they did not resemble any other cities in their language, or culture. (see page 7-8)
The c600-400 BCE) periods were the high point of Etruscan culture, art, power and influence. The Romans were beginning to write the Latin that they were speaking and they used the Greek alphabet that they learned from the Etruscans. (See p. 10)
The problem in discovering the origins of the Etruscans is that their language is not based on all the other languages of Europe, with the exception of Basque, Finnish or Hungarian. Also there is no surviving literature; no narrative texts, history, poetry or drama. (See page 12)

[Pete Missingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book contains an overview of what is, or rather was, known of the Etruscan language. There are many photos and illustrations legible with the aid of a magnifying glass. The last chapter is for reasons unclear actually about the Oscan language, and in particular, the Agnone tablet. It would have been more relevant to discuss the Pyrgi Phoenician/Etruscan tablets. An opportunity missed.

[dawid]

Doprawdy niesamowite

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, clear introduction to the Etruscan language.