Botorrita plaque
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Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
plaques discovered in Botorrita
Botorrita
Botorrita is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain.Botorrita is known for the archeological artefacts found there, such as the Botorrita plaques....
(Roman Contrebia Belaisca), near Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, dating to the early 1st century BC, known as Botorrita I, II, III and IV.
Botorrita II is in the Latin language, but Botorrita I, III and IV, inscribed in the Celtiberian script
Celtiberian script
The Celtiberian script is a paleohispanic script that was the main means of written expression of the Celtiberian language, an extinct Continental Celtic language, also expressed in Latin alphabet...
, constitute the main part of the Celtiberian
Celtiberian language
Celtiberian is an extinct Indo-European language of the Celtic branch spoken by the Celtiberians in an area of the Iberian Peninsula lyingbetween the headwaters of the Duero, Tajo, Júcar and Turia rivers and the Ebro river...
corpus.
Botorrita I
Botorrita I was found in 1970. It is the longest inscription in Celtiberian consisting of a text in 11 lines, on the front face, continued by a list of names on the back side.- A.1. tirikantam bercunetacam tocoitoscue sarnicio cue sua combalcez nelitom
- A.2. necue [u]ertaunei litom necue taunei litom necue masnai tizaunei litom soz aucu
- A.3. arestaio tamai uta oscues stena uerzoniti silabur sleitom conscilitom cabizeti
- A.4. cantom sancilistara otanaum tocoitei eni: uta oscuez boustomue coruinomue
- A.5. macasiamue ailamue ambitiseti camanom usabituz ozas sues sailo custa bizetuz iom
- A.6. asecati ambitincounei stena es uertai entara tiris matus tinbituz neito tiricantam
- A.7. eni onsatuz iomui listas titas zizonti somui iom arznas bionti iom custaicos
- A.8. arznas cuati ias ozias uertatosue temeiue robiseti saum tecametinas tatuz somei
- A.9. enitouzei iste ancios iste esancios uze areitena sarniciei acainacubos
- A.10. nebintor tocoitei ios ur antiomue auzeti aratimue tecametam tatuz iom tocoitoscue
- A.11. sarniciocue aiuizas combalcores aleites iste icues ruzimuz abulu ubocum
- B.1. lubos counesicum melnunos bintis letontu litocum
- B.2. abulos bintis melmu barauzanco lesunos bintis
- B.3. letontu ubocum turo bintis lubinaz aiu bercanticum
- B.4. abulos bintis tirtu aiancum abulos bintis abulu louzocum
- B.5. uzeisunos bintis acainaz letontu uicanocum suostuno/s
- B.6. bintis tirtanos statulicum lesunos bintis nouantutaz
- B.7. letontu aiancum melmunos bintis useizu aiancum tauro [bin]/tis
- B.8. abulu aiancum tauro bintis letontu leticum abulos bintis
- B.9. [ ]ucontaz letontu esocum abulos bintis
Botorrita II
This bronze plaque is inscribed in LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and was discovered in an illegal excavation of the Contrebia Belaisca
Botorrita
Botorrita is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain.Botorrita is known for the archeological artefacts found there, such as the Botorrita plaques....
site, and was obtained in December 1979 by editor Fatas. The inscription is fully decipherable and relates how the senate of Contrebia Belaisca was called upon by neighboring towns for a decision concerning the right of the town of Salluia
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
to build a canal through the territory of the Sosinestani, an initiative to which the neighboring Allauonenses objected. Based upon the names of Roman officials, the text has been dated to May 87 BC
87 BC
Year 87 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Octavius and Cinna/Merula...
.
- 1. Senatus Contrebie[n]sis quei tum aderunt iudices sunto. Sei par[ret ag]rum quem Salluienses
- 2. [ab Sosinest]ane[is] emerunt rivi faciendi aquaive ducendae causa qua de re agitur Sosinestanos
- 3. [iure suo Sa]lluiensibus vendidisse inviteis Allavonensibus;tum sei ita [p]arret eei iudices iudicent
- 4. eum agrum qua de re agitur Sosinestanos Salluiensibus iure suo vendidisse; sei non parr[e]t iudicent
- 5. iur[e] suo non vendidi[sse.]
- 6.Eidem quei supra scriptei [sunt] iudices sunto. Sei Sosinestana ceivitas esset, tum, qua Salluiensis
- 7. novissume publice depalarunt qua de re agitur, sei [i]ntra eos palos Salluiensis rivom per agrum
- 8. publicum Sosinestanorum iure suo facere licere[t ] aut sei per agrum preivatum Sosinestanorum
- 9. qua rivom fieri oporteret rivom iure suo Salluie[n]sibus facere liceret dum quanti is a[ger] aestumatu[s]
- 10. esset,qua rivos duceretur, Salluienses pequniam solverent, tum, sei ita [p]arret, eei iudices iudicent
- 11. Salluiensibus rivom iure suo facere licer[e]; sei non parret iudicent iure suo facere non licere.
- 12.Sei iudicarent Salluiensibus rivom facere licere,tum quos magistratus Contrebiensis quinque
- 13. ex senatu suo dederit eorum arbitratu pro agro preivato q[u]a rivos ducetur Salluienses
- 14. publice pequniam solvonto. Iudicium addeixit C.Valerius C.f. Flaccus imperator.
- 15.Sentent[ia]m deixerunt: quod iudicium nostrum est qua de re agitur secundum Salluienses iudicamus. Quom ea res
- 16. ud[ic]atas[t mag]is[t]ratus Contrebienses heisce fuerunt: Lubbus Urdinocum Letondonis f. praetor; Lesso Siriscum
- 17. Lubbi f. [ma]gistratus; Babbus Bolgondiscum Ablonis f. magistratus; Segilus Annicum Lubi f. magistratus;
- 18. [--]atu[----]ulovicum Uxenti f. magistratus; Ablo Tindilicum Lubbi f. magistratus.Caussam Sallui[ensium]
- 19. defen[d]it ---]assius [-]eihar f. Salluiensis. Caussam Allavonensium defendit Turibas Teitabas f.
- 20. [Allavo]n[en]s[is]. Actum [C]ontrebiae Balaiscae eidibus Maieis, L. Cornelio Cn. Octavio consulibu[s].9*
Botorrita III
Botorrita III, discovered in 1979, is inscribed in four columns on one side of a plaque, introduced by a heading of two lines. A part of the plaque is missing, but the inscribed portion is complete. It is heavily corroded, and the text was only legible by x-ray.- 01: risatioka : lestera[:]ia : tarakuai : nouiz : auzanto
- 02: eskeninum : taniokakue : soisum : albana
| 1.1: skirtunos : tirtanikum : l | 2.1: sekanos < : > kolukokum : lukinos | 3.1: testios : turumokum | 4.1: kainu : tirtobolokum |
| 1.2: kontuzos : turos | 2.2: tirtanos | 3.2: elku : suolakue | 4.2: stenion. : turikainos |
| 1.3: retukenos : statulu | 2.3: kentiskue : loukaniko < : > uiriaskum | 3.3: tirtanikum : uiriaskum : mel | 4.3: bolora : kentiskue : melmanzos |
| 1.4: mezukenos : koitina | 2.4: mezukenos : turanikum | 3.4: kinbiria : kentiskue : turikum | 4.4: tiokenesos : uiriaskum |
| 1.5: tueizu : uiroku | 2.5: elu : uiriaskum : launiku<e> | 3.5: toloku : koitinakue : austunikum | 4.5: kalaitos : mturiskum |
| 1.6: munika : koitu : koitina | 2.6: likinos : uiskikum | 3.6: stenu : bentilikum | 4.6: burzu : karunikum |
| 1.7: sekilos : toutinikum : me. | 2.7: letontu : auaskum | 3.7: burzu : bentilikum : ultatunos | 4.7: burzu : abilikum : elazuno |
| 1.8: ultia : uiriaskum : mel | 2.8: kasilos : atokum | 3.8: koloutios : biniskum | 4.8: litu : makeskokum |
| 1.9: sura : matulokum | 2.9: usizu : abokum : titos | 3.9: antiokos : uiriaskum : melm | 4.9: mezukenos : kalisokum |
| 1.10: elkua : raiokum | 2.10: burzu : kulukamikum | 3.10: elazunos : kaburikum | 4.10: koitina : tirikantanko |
| 1.11: buria : batokum | 2.11: akuia : sekiloskue : tirilokum | 3.11: arkanta : mezukenoskue : abokum | 4.11: esueiku : atesikum |
| 1.12: belsa : alasku[m] : mem | 2.12: mezukenos : akikum : memun | 3.12: arkanta : loukanikum | 4.12: kalaitos : kustikum |
| 1.13: elkua : ensikum : seko | 2.13: akuia : alaskum : memunos | 3.13: stena : ensikum : skirtunos | 4.13: antiokos : kustikum |
| 1.14: sekontios : loukanikum : aiu | 2.14: terkinos : austikum : eskutino | 3.14: burzu : betaskum | 4.14: kabutu : abokum |
| 1.15: sura : uiriaskum : mel | 2.15: koitina : abokum : useizunos | 3.15: koitu : samikum : melmanzo | 4.15: anu : uiriaskum |
| 1.16: stena : muturiskum : tirtu. | 2.16: tirtouios : turumokum | 3.16: sekontios : ubokum | 4.16: kalaitos : muturiskum |
| 1.17: sleitiu : karunikum : le | 2.17: elaukos : bentikum : rotenanko | 3.17: barnai : ensikum : skirtunos | 4.17: akuia : albinokum |
| 1.18: retukenos : ensikum | 2.18: elkuanos : muturiskum | 3.18: tetu : loukanikum | 4.18: balakos : sekonzos |
| 1.19: letontu : atokum | 2.19: terkinos : telazokum | 3.19: stena : uiriaskum | 4.19: kara : kalatokum |
| 1.20: bilinos : austikum | 2.20: akuia : statu : turaku : tueizunostetoku<m> | 3.20: toloku : uiriaskum | 4.20: arkanta : mailikum |
| 1.21: belsu : uiriaskum | 2.21: mezukenos : elazunos | 3.21: arkanta : teiuantikum : tirtunos | 4.21: elazunos : albinokum |
| 1.22: sekonzos : uiriaskum : me | 2.22: tirtukue : ailokiskum | 3.22: mizuku : tirtobolokum | 4.22: bubilibor : uiriaskum |
| 1.23: burzu : teiuantikum | 2.23: sekilos : mailikum | 3.23: retukeno : elkueikikum | 4.23: usizu : uiriaskum |
| 1.24: bulibos : turumokum : ultu | 2.24: letontu : ustitokum | 3.24: kentisum : tuateroskue | 4.24: retukenos : telkaskum |
| 1.25: letontu : mailikum | 2.25: turenta : kentiskue : ataiokum | 3.25: abaliu : berikakue : suaikinokum | 4.25: .ria : belsu |
| 1.26: burzu : auikum | 2.26: koitina : uerzaizokum : kalmikum | 3.26: uiroku : konikum : statulos | 4.26: toloku : kurmiliokum |
| 1.27: melmanios : uiriaskum | 2.27: elkuanos : kunikum | 3.27: aunia : beskokum | 4.27: anieskor : talukokum |
| 1.28: karbelos : turumokum : ulta | 2.28: launikue : uiriaskum | 3.28: bilonikos : elokum : elkinos | 4.28: s.[...] < : > alikum |
| 1.29: likinos : uerzaizokum : mem | 2.29: koitu : uerzaizokum : aias | 3.29: mezukenos : tirtobolokum | 4.29: elkueiz : akikum |
| 1.30: koitu : mailikum | 2.30: snaziuentos : ataiokum | 3.30: akuios : alikum | 4.30: raieni : uizuskikum |
| 1.31: akuios : tetokum | 2.31: tais : uiriaskum | 3.31: tiriu : uiriaskum | 4.31: urkala : austunikum |
| 1.32: saluta : uizuskikum | 2.32: basaku : uiriaskum | 3.32: turtunazkue : kazarokuu | 4.32: tama : ataiokum |
| 1.33: burzu : uiskikum : les | 2.33: kalaitos | 3.33: sleitiu : totinikum | 4.33: retukenos : kustikum |
| 1.34: ana : uerzaizokum : atu | 2.34: koitinakue : uiriraskum | 3.34: munika : ensikum : skirtunos | 4.34: bilosban : betikum |
| 1.35: sanion : baatokum | 2.35: likinos : ataiokum | 3.35: sekontios : uiriaskum | 4.35: koitina : kankaikiskum |
| 1.36: niskekue : babokum | 2.36: sa[...]i < : > kaburikum : memun | 3.36: sura : suaikinokum | 4.36: likinos : kuezontikum |
| 1.37: biurtilaur : alaskum | 2.37: kares : .ruaku : korkos | 3.37: koitina : suoli.kum | 4.37: munika : uerzaizokum |
| 1.38: bini | 2.38: to[..]r.tetokum : kekas : ko | 3.38: bilir. < : > turtuntakue : telkaskum | 4.38: terkinos : turanikum |
| 1.39: rusku : uiriaskum : kentisku<e> | 2.39: aureiaku | 3.39: elu < : > karbilikum | 4.39: teuzesi : kustikum |
| 1.40: or..bilos : likinoskue | 2.40: tuate.eskue : uiriaskum | 3.40: terkinos : atokum : launikue | 4.40: kaukirino |
| 1.41: abo..kum | 2.41: burzu : babouikum | 3.41: mizuku : telkaskum | |
| 1.42: abu..akuiakue : araiokum | 2.42: koitu : kuinikum : tirtunos | 3.42: melmantama : bentilikum | |
| 1.43: alu : aiukue : araiokum | 2.43: [.....] : loukanikum : tirtunos | 3.43: markos : kalisokum | |
| 1.44: kalos : telkaskum | 2.44: toloku : kalisokum : atinos | 3.44: arkanta : toutinikum | |
| 1.45: elazuna : loukanikum | 2.45: tarkunbiur | 3.45: tolokunos : ke : kalisokum | |
| 1.46: mezukenos : loukanikum | 2.46: bibalos : atokum : tirtano | 3.46: sura : ensikum : melman < : > ba (?) | |
| 1.47: burzu : tirtobolokum | 2.47: sikeia : beteriskum | 3.47: usama : abaloskue : karunikum | |
| 1.48: sleitiu : makeskokum | 2.48: sekontios : turumokum : ultatun | 3.48: elazuna : balaisokum | |
| 1.49: iunsti.[.] : uiriaskum | 2.49: tekos : konikum | 3.49: likinos : turumokum : ti | |
| 1.50: tioken.s : uiriaskum | 2.50: bartiltun : ekarbilos | 3.50: tueizunos : binis.kum | |
| 1.51: uiroku : turumokum | 2.51: munika < : > elkuakue : koitinas | 3.51: bilonikos : ensikum | |
| 1.52: mizuku : retukenos : tirtanos | 2.52: terkinos : toutinikum : leton | 3.52: ebursunos : mailikinokum | |
| 1.53: munikakue : uiriaskum | 2.53: katunos : burikounikum | 3.53: arkanta : ailokiskum | |
| 1.54: burzu : atokum | 2.54: elazuna : ukulikum | 3.54: suros : alikum | |
| 1.55: aualos : kortikos | 2.55: keka : kabelaikiskum | 3.55: ultinos : amakue : uiriaskum | |
| 1.56: amu : kankaikiskum | 2.56: munika : tolisokum : tirtun | 3.56: babos : kentiskue : uiriaskum | |
| 1.57: kaiaitos : litukue : abokum | 2.57: elazuna : ensikum : turo | 3.57: turaios : litanokum : kurmilokum | |
| 1.58: aba : muturiskum | 2.58: sekonzos : bentikum | 3.58: launikue : uiriaskum | |
| 1.59: barnai : turumokum : tirs | 2.59: tokiosar : ensikum | 3.59: kari : uiriaskum | |
| 1.60: mezukenos : abokum : turo | 2.60: akuia : abokum : letontunos | 3.60: kuintitaku : mailikinokum | |
Botorrita IV
Botorrita IV, discovered in 1994, consists of 18 lines on both faces of the plaque. The text is fragmentary. The tirikantam of Botorrita I reappears in line A.1.- A.1. [...]tam:tirikantam:entorkue:toutam[...]
- A.2. [...]:sua kombal[.]z:bouitos:ozeum:[...]
- A.3. [...]i:turuntas:tirikantos:kustai:bize[...]
- A.4. [...]a:karalom:aranti:otenei:ambi[...]
- A.5. [...]kom:atibion:taskue:.a.s[...]
- A.6. [...]kue:usimounei:[...]
- A.7. [...]karalom:ios:lu.e.s[...]
- A.8. [...]oi.u..ti:esta[...]
- A.9. [...]uta:...kue[...]
- A.10. [...]ti.. n.e[...]
- B.1. [...]e .. i[...]
- B.2. [...]atuz:uta:e[...]
- B.3. [...]isum:..ti:[...]
- B.4. [...]olo...:iom:u[...]
- B.5. [...]toke...ta:.ue:tizatuz[...]
- B.6. [...]l..lez.l.toioan[...]
- B.7. [...]toruonti:stoteroi:tas[...]
- B.8. [...]ko..esusiomo..o[...]
Further reading
- Beltrán Lloris, Francisco (1996): «Useisu aiankum tauro no era bintis. Una nota de lectura sobre la cara B de Botorrita 1», La Hispania prerromana, pp. 51–63.
- Beltrán Lloris, Francisco (2002): «El cuarto bronce de Botorrita», Palaeohispanica 2, pp. 381–393.
- Beltrán Lloris, Francisco - de Hoz, Javier - Untermann, JürgenJürgen UntermannJürgen Untermann is a German linguist, indoeuropeanist and epigraphist.A disciple of Hans Krahe and of Ulrich Schmoll, he studied at the University of Frankfurt and the University of Tübingen...
(1996): El tercer bronce de Botorrita (Contrebia Belaisca), Zaragoza. - Jordán, Carlos (2004): Celtibérico, Zaragoza.
- Stifter, David (2001): "Neues vom Keltiberischen: Notizen zu Botorrita IV", Die Sprache (Sonderheft): Chronicalia Indoeuropaea 38/3 [1996], pp. 89–110.
- Stifter, David (2006): "Contributions to Celtiberian Etymology 2", Palaeohispanica 6, pp. 237–245.
- Untermann, JürgenJürgen UntermannJürgen Untermann is a German linguist, indoeuropeanist and epigraphist.A disciple of Hans Krahe and of Ulrich Schmoll, he studied at the University of Frankfurt and the University of Tübingen...
(1997): Monumenta Linguarum Hispanicarum. IV Die tartessischen, keltiberischen und lusitanischen Inschriften, Wiesbaden. - Velaza, Javier (1999): «Balance actual de la onomástica personal celtibérica», Pueblos, lenguas y escrituras en la Hispania Prerromana, pp. 663–683.
- Villar, Francisco - Díaz, Mª Antonia - Medrano, Manuel Mª - Jordán, Carlos (2001): El IV bronce de Botorrita (Contrebia Belaisca): arqueología y lingüística, Salamanca.