Is 3
| Transliteration | luk.s. .m.elink.s. ga.i.jo.s. kab |
|---|---|
| Object | bronze plaque |
| Script | Venetic alphabet |
| Language | Venetic |
| Writing direction | dextroverse |
| Technique | incised |
| Condition | fragmentary |
| Findspot | Idrija pri Bači |
| Archaeological context | grave |
| Archaeological culture | to be inserted |
| Date | 1st c. BC |
Original text
Commentary
The artefact features a fragment of a bronze plaque with a rounded surface, perhaps belonging to a container. It exhibits traces of holes and tacks. Length: 78, width: 18-20. The inscription is carved with light strokes and runs from left to right within three bands marked by horizontal lines. The first line measures 60 and the second one 65. In the initial part of the third line only traces of two letters are visible. The height of the letters varies between 8 and 11.
In the first row the initial lambda has an oblique hasta that is pointed in an unusual direction. Since a slight dash pointing to the right emerges at the bottom, it seems that the engraver hesitated when writing. Szombathy noted that the second lambda in the first row is carved much better than the others, therefore it should be deemed as an exception. A hasta ran along a fissure in the piece. A crack runs across the track of the initial chi in the second row. In the third place of the second row three vertical parallel lines are followed by a letter which is difficult to identify (double reversed angular c). After the punctuated sigma the fissure probably passes through an uninscribed segment of the piece, which is followed by clearly inscribed kappa, alpha and phi. The authors of the article believe, that it is very likely not possible to identify sam in the third row, in contrast to the opinion of Szombathy. Due to the rest of the inscription missing, traces of two letters are very difficult to identify.
The authors prefer to identify the seventh letter in the first row as lambda, which was also suggested by Lejeune. The punctuation of the initial m is unusual. In the second row the letters in the 3rd and 4th place probably denote yod. In any case it is likely that the inscription in the second row denotes a name of a man, whose praenomen is preserved in a latinized form (Gaius) and is followed by a nomen, of which only the first three letters remain (Kab-). The authors note, that Lejeune proposed the following interpretation: Luc(iu)s Mel(o)n(i)c(iu)s Gaesos capsam dedit/fecit, but that it is more likely that the inscription contained names of two people, which were already latinized (Lucius Melincius (et) Gaius Cab-).
Bibliography
B. Pellegrini & A. L. Prosdocimi (1967). La lingua venetica. Padova: Istituto di glottologia dell´Università di Padova, Circolo linguistico fiorentino, pp. 591–597.
