Tabula Capuana

The ''Tabula Capuana'' ("Tablet from Capua"; Ital. ''Tavola Capuana''), is an ancient terracotta slab, , with a long inscribed text in Etruscan, dated to around 470 BCE, apparently a ritual calendar. About 390 words are legible, making it the second-most extensive surviving Etruscan text. The longest is the linen book ''(Liber Linteus)'', also a ritual calendar, used in ancient Egypt for mummy wrappings, now at Zagreb. The Tabula Capuana is located in the Altes Museum, Berlin.

Description

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.

Recently, a major scholar in the field, Bouke van der Meer, has proposed a "very tentative partial word-for-word translation" of the text:

Text example

(/ indicates line break; some word breaks are uncertain)

First section (lines 1-7): MARCH^?

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.

:: ...vacil.../²ai savcnes satiriasa.../³... unθ?ri 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 ul rizile picasri
::::savlasieis
:: vacil lunaśie vaca iχnac
::::fuli/⁶nuÅ›nes
:: vacil savcnes itna
::: mulu rizile picasri
::::iane
:: vacil l/⁷eθamsul scuvune
::::marzac sacaâ‹®

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. 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."

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."

Note that the ending ''-nes/-nis'' also occurs in the forms ''fulinuś-nes'' (5-6) and ''caθ-nis'' (9), all referring to deities.

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. Or it could be in some way connected to or contrasting with ''tartiria'' at the end of line 3.

In line three, ''śuri'' is a (not necessarily exclusively) chthonic deity. 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.

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 ..." In line 4, ''halχ-'' is likely the name of a kind of vase.

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''. 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." ''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." 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). A somewhat similar form, ''fuln olnius' can be found on line 29 of the Tabula Cortonensis.

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 Åšuri and Letham as well as for the gods Saulasie and Fulinusne. Furthermore, that a gifted ''rizile'' be accepted in he period of?Iana. And that, the libation to Letham having been properly completed, a ''marza'' be consecrated.

Second section (starting on line 8): APRIL = ''apirase''

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 iÅ›uma 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 nise
:::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"?), itself probably related to (or the origin of?) Umbrian ''tuder'' "boundary"; also the origin of the Umbrian town name Todi. Here it seems to mean "(on or after) the ides (of a particular month)." According to van der Meer, ''iluc-ve/u'' (twice in line 8) means "feast." 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.

''apirase'' may mean "(in the) month of April." See above for ''Leθam-sul''. Van der Meer translates ''pep-ri'' as "must be held." ''cipen'' seems to be a priestly title (with variants ''cepa(r)'', ''cepe(n)'').

''huθ'' in line 9 means "six", and ''ci'' in line 11 means "three." ''zusle(-vai)'' (9, 11) means "sacrificial victims" perhaps specifically "piglets."

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.

''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.

''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). ''eθ'' (11, 12) means "thus." ''avθ-leθ'' (12) may be related to ''avθa'' "northwind; eagle."

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.

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 hich ison the Ides; that Racvanies be the Priest of April; that six piglets be offered for the ritual ; that a ''snuza'', which sin the rea of?Hamai, be declared by Cive ndby Cathni; and that a statuette of Mariś, which is in the rea 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 the''avθla'', 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.

Third section (lines 18-20): MAY = ''an/mpile''

:: iśvei tule ilucve anp li laruns ilucu huχ
:::: śanti huri alχu esχaθ canulis
:: mulu/¹⁹ rizile zizri
:: inpa ..an acasri
:: tiniantule leθamsul ilucu perpri
:::: Å›anti 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").

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.

Fourth section (lines 21-24): June = ''acalva''

::acalve apertule saiuvie leθamsul ilucu perpri
:::śanti ma(c)vilutule
:::::iti/²²r Å›ver
:::falal ..husilitule
::velθur t ...c lavtun icni seri. turza esχaθce
::p/²³acusnausie θanurari turza esχa �ce::nis lvtun icni zusle �laciiul eses
:::salχe/²⁴i calaieic
:::len .i stizaitei
::::z rapa z l..........:: .iiac vtun icni seril turza e/²⁵sχaθce
:::laχuθ nunθe i...::::ei uacasri
:::laχθ turzais . esχa �ce:::: cl..� acas θe
:::zusleva/²⁶ stizaitei acasri
::pacus aśiθu
:::laθiumia zusle
::: �χaiei t ririiai
:::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. But in the Lead Plaque of Magliano, she appears amongst mostly underworld deities, suggesting she is both a goddess of birth and of death. The form ''laχ(u)-'' "basin" (twice in line 25) may be akin to Latin ''lacus'' "basin, water, lake."

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 ririia'', with ''zanuse'' and with ''pepθia''...

Fifth section: probably July (= ''parθum''?)

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.

::parθumi ilucve iśveitule tinunus seθumsal ilucu perpri
:::cipen tartiria vaci / fulinuśn s.....::::/ .tula
::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; ere follows illegible material ending withof...''eta''; that a feast (be prepared) for Natinushna; that Fulinushnai hold this (?); nd the rest is illegible, except for an initial''eθu''...

Sixth section: probably August (=''papu''?)

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 '' rmius'', but the names of the Etruscan months may have varied from place to place.

::macvilutule papui ...e ilu ve...�asχra turza esχa �... rapa

Tentative translation of first line: On the fifth day of August, on the (day) of the feast (of ?), bring ...''-θasχra'' gifts and cups. he rest is mostly obscure.ref>Bouke Van Der Meer "Some comments on the Tabula Capuana", in: Studi Etruschi 77, 2014 015 149-175. p. 170

Discovery

The tablet was uncovered in 1898 in the burial ground of Santa Maria Capua Vetere.

References

Sources

* 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 015 149-175.
* Wylin, K. (1997) Review of Cristofani, M. (1995). in ''Revue belge de Philologie et d'Histoire 75-1'' pp. 191-192.

External links

Basic information, adopted for this entry; photograph
(Italian)

{{Etruscans

5th-century BC inscriptions
1898 archaeological discoveries
Clay tablets
Etruscan artefacts
Etruscan ceramics
Etruscan inscriptions
Capua (ancient city)
Archaeological discoveries in Italy