Etruscan Tomb of Shields Show  Deity Thu is Hermaphrodite (490 BCE)

For translation methodology see: How to Translate Alphabetic Akkadian Texts

Etruscan tomb of Shields corner paintings showing hermaphrodite deity Thu being affectionate with a life power god
Corner of the Tomb of Shields near Tarquinia after restoration having two images of the hermaphrodite deity Thu being affectionate with a life power god. Photo by Domenico-Ventura (2018)
Etruscan tomb of Shields painting showing hermaphrodite deity Thu being affectionate with a life power god
Close-up of scene 2 showing Thu with female breasts and male genitalia.

Etruscan Tomb of Shields Using Affection to Illustrate Power Coherency Between Thu and Life-Powers 499 BCE

(Sept. 17, 2022) A corner in the Tomb of Shields at Tarquinia has two images of the hermaphrodite deity Thu being affectionate with a life-power god. Promoting this coherency between motion and life powers is the main theme of the text. Because Etruscan texts are read right to left the image on the right wall of the corner was meant to be read first. It reads in Akkadian (justification below):

Right Scene (Med Text 20.3)

  1. Openings can be elevated by Thu and the Life-Powers. Life-powers are coherent with affection from the veil (astrological source of motion power).
  2. Openings can be elevated by that coherency. Divine anger is being revealed by Ayu.

Left Scene (Med Text 20.4)

  1. [ ] This does not bring the divine. This does not bring children : In a similar way these things have been eliminated : The lack is not from expulsion by the emotion-powers. The lack is not from the veiling of similar astrological-powers. The lack of activity is from eliminating the nourishments (fertility-fluids). The lack does not bring associations .....
  2. The prodding-sticks (motion-sources) have not brought activity (life-growth). Alu is lacking that. The Divine is being veiled by the lack. In a similar way these things have been eliminated. Life-Powers are nourished by astrological-powers. Emotions have been made miserable by Yahu's (I'u) eliminations. Those are nourished by activity (life growth). Emotions are not the same as motion-powers....
  3. Considerations (focused emotions) do not bring nourishments (fertility-fluids). Anger energizes the Reed-Boat (Ayu). The Controllers nourish activity. Their fertility-fluids nourish the Divine. The combing is not lacking. The combing is from the Reed-Boat : [ ] : The eliminations are lacking wind. That is not dehydrating the nourishments. …. Wind-powers … Is veiling the life-powers
  4. [ ] does not bring nourishments. Coherency is not associating Yahu (E') and the life-powers : None of the fathers (life-priests) [ ]. Coherency can eliminate immobility. Those lack Ayu. [word] nourishes motion-powers. Astrological-Powers ...
  5. Don't nourish Thu. Immobility is from the lack of coherency. It is not from activity. Life-powers are energized by magic. Hu is being blocked by ...  Yahu (YA). Endurance brings consistency. Life-powers are frustrated by the nest (network).
  6. This is energizing the fertility-fluids for Yahu (IH, YH). Yahu (E') does not bring nourishments. Yahu is devoted to the moon-eye. Magic is drying the same. (network). Openings [ ]. The Reed-Boat (Ayu) does not bring the threads. Magic constrains activity. Impatience does not bring activity. The baking ....
  7. Thu is not nourished by the high-powers ....

Bottom Label

  1. Lacking this divine-power 
  2. the Opener (Ayu) is elevating their coherency.

References

Domenico-Ventura, C (2018) for FAI - FONDO PER L'AMBIENTE ITALIANO. Online at: https://fondoambiente.it/news/torna-splendere-la-tomba-degli-scudi-di-tarquinia-vt/
Map showing the Etruscan lands prior to their take-over by the Romans
Map showing the Etruscan lands prior to their take-over by the Romans. From https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Expans%C3%A3o_etrusca-es.svg

Etruscan History

(Sept. 14, 2022) The Greeks called them Τυρρηνοί (Tyrrhēnoi) and earlier Τυρσηνοί (Tyrsēnoi). The Latins called them Tusci or Etrusci. This seems to derive from the Akkadian compound word târu.ṣi meaning "turners of activity-powers" in which "turning" is the process of shaping pottery and "activity" is the process of growing life. The Etruscans used magic to shape the powers of life.

The Etruscans gained their wealth from the mining and trade of copper and iron. Their commercial interests collided with those of the Greeks after Greeks were pushed from Anatolia by the Persians. These Greeks founded colonies along the coast of Sardinia, Spain and Corsica and what is now Marseille France in 600 BCE. This led the Etruscans to ally themselves with Carthage who also spoke Akkadian.

After the Battle of Alalia around 540 BCE Carthage managed to expand its sphere of influence at the expense of the Greeks.  Etruria regained control of the northern Tyrrhenian Sea with full ownership of Corsica at the cost of losing their southern colonies to Carthage. In 480 BC, Etruria's ally Carthage was defeated by a coalition of Magna Graecia cities led by Syracuse in Sicily. A few years later, in 474 BC, Syracuse's tyrant Hiero defeated the Etruscans at the Battle of Cumae. Etruria's influence over the cities of Latium and Campania weakened and the area was taken over by Romans and Samnites.

(Continue Reading) 

Eturia came into conflict with Rome beginning in 396 BCE with the conquest of Veii by Roman army under M. Furius Camillus. This pressure ended temporarily when in 387 BCE the Gauls under Brennus sacked the city of Rome and presumably much of Eturia. The large Ara della Regina temple in Tarquinia dating to the 500’s BCE was possibly damaged during this time because between 380 and 350 BCE it was reconstructed and expanded. 

Veii seems to have revolted bringing parts of Eturia into conflict with Rome once again between 358 and 351 BCE. The war ended with Veii and Caere coming under Roman domination permanently. Rome then turned its attention to expanding southward against the Samnites. 

The independence and wealth of Tarquinia ended in 308 BCE when the Tarquinians lost Battle of Lake Vadimo with Rome. They along with other Etruscans seem to have started this war 311 BCE while Rome was involved in a southern Italian war. 

ancient city of Tarquinia was located on the central hill in this image.
The ancient city of Tarquinia was located on the central hill in this image. It controlled the larger Maria River valley on its left. The tombs were located on the ridge just southwest of the city in the direction of the setting sun. (Olmsted photo of map at tomb site)

Archaeology of the Tombs at Tarquinia (Tarqna)

(Sept. 8, 2022) About 6,000 Etruscan underground room tombs have been found on the top of the long Monterozzi Hill across the valley from the ancient Etruscan city of Tarquina. This city controlled large river Maria valley and was located 60 km (37 miles) north of Rome. 

The tombs date to between 650 BCE and 310 BCE. The tombs of Orcus date to about 490 BCE with Orcus 1 being built slightly earlier than Orcus 2. Only a few tombs have writing but the existence of this writing indicates that these tombs were open to the public for some period of time, possibly during a multi-week funeral rite. Their images were not to impress the gods but were to impress the neighbors.

References

Guerriero, Stephen A. (Aug. 2015) Among the Phantoms of Men Outworn: In the Tomb of Orcus, Greek Myth Illustrates Etruscan Beliefs and Political Reality. Online at: https://www.academia.edu/34215728/Among_the_Phantoms_of_Men_Outworn_In_the_Tomb_of_Orcus_Greek_Myth_Illustrates_Etruscan_Beliefs_and_Political_Reality
Etruscan tomb of Shields corner painting showing hermaphrodite deity Thu being affectionate with a life power god
Close-up photo of the restored right wall which unfortunately cuts out the last (leftmost) letter of the top line. This shows the Hermaphrodite Deity Thu sitting beside a generic life-power god identified by his tiara.  They are being affectionate towards each other as mentioned in the text. The god is holding an empty bowl which indicates a lack of food. Letter assignments by author. (Original photo by Domenico-Ventura, 2018)
Etruscan tomb of Shields corner painting showing hermaphrodite deity Thu being affectionate with a life power god
Larger unrestored photo showing scene and last letter of top line. Photo from Mandal (Sept 2018) via FONDO PER L'AMBIENTE ITALIANO)

Right Scene Text Translation: Life-Powers Need Motion Powers for Effectiveness (Text Med 20)

(Sept. 15, 2022) Thu mid-level motion power of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm.

Translation in Akkadian

(read right to left. Capital letters on stone. Inner vowels inferred)
  1. Pu  ELu  Ṭu  U  Du. Du  APu  N'u  Še (Med 20.1)
  2. Pu  ELu  Še  A.  AGu  D'u  AYu (Med 20.2)

In English

  1. Openings can be elevated by Thu and the Life-Powers. Life-powers are coherent with affection from the veil (astrological source of motion power). 
  2. Openings can be elevated by that coherency. (But now) Divine anger is being revealed by Ayu. 

References

Mandal, Dattatreya (September 21, 2018) in Realm of History. Restoration complete for the magnificent Etruscan ‘Tomb of the Shields.’ Online at: https://www.realmofhistory.com/2018/09/21/restoration-etruscan-tomb-of-the-shields/

Left Scene Translation

Scene label at the bottom of the main text. The text on the left is unreadable.

Scene Label

(Sept. 15, 2022) Thu is the mid-level motion power of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm.

Translation in Akkadian (Text Med 20.3.1)

(read right to left. Capital letters on stone. Inner vowels inferred)
  1. Lu A D'u
  2. Pu ELu Še A

In English

  1. Lacking this divine-power 
  2. the Opener (Ayu) is elevating their coherency.
Main text of Etruscan tomb of Shields corner painting showing hermaphrodite deity Thu being affectionate with a life power god

Lines 1 and 2

Main text of Etruscan tomb of Shields corner painting showing hermaphrodite deity Thu being affectionate with a life power god

Lines 3 and 4

Main text of Etruscan tomb of Shields corner painting showing hermaphrodite deity Thu being affectionate with a life power god

Lines 5 and 6

Line 7

(Sept. 17, 2022) Thu is the mid-level motion power of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm.

Translation in Akkadian (Text Med 20.4)

(read right to left. Capital letters on stone. Inner vowels inferred)
  1. [   ]. A D'u E. A LePu E : Še A Zu : Lu E AṢu IMu. Lu APu Ya L'u Še. Lu Še Zu. Bu Lu E. AZu ..... A [1] (Med 20.4.1)
  2. K'u Ṣ A Ya. ALu Lu A. D'u APu Lu. Še A Zu. Du Bu Le'u. Imu U'a I'u Zu. A Bu Ṣu. IMu A'u Šu Ya. ...... (letters to fragmentary and uncertain to translate) (Med 20.4.2)
  3. Anu Bu E. AGu AMu Gi. ARu Ṣu Bu. Mu A D'u Bu. ZaPu Lu Ya. Zapu Amu A : U Ṣu [1] : Zu Lu Upu. A ṢaMu Ya Bu. [ ]' UPu A[ ] ... UP ... (Med 20.4.3)
  4. [ ] Bu E. Še AZu Ya E'u U Du : E ABu [ ]Š. Še Zu MuBu. A AYu Lu. A[1] A'u Bu. Ezzu Mu E. Le'u ... (Med 20.4.4)
  5. Bu Ya Ṭu. MuBu Lu Še. A Ṣu E. Du Gu Tu. Ḫu Ṣe’u ... D Y A. LaZu GiNu A. Du UZu Be'u. [ ]  (Med 20.4.5)
  6. A Gu Mu YaHu. E' Bu E. I'u IGu TaPu. Tu Epu Še. Pu A[2]. AMu Qu E. Tu Ṣe BeLu. EZu Ṣe E. Z'u [1]DZ. (Med 20.4.6)
  7. Ṭu ILu Bu Ya ... (Med 20.4.7)

In English

  1. [ ] That does not bring the divine. This does not bring children : In a similar way these things have been eliminated : The lack is not from expulsion by the emotion-powers. The lack is not from the veiling of similar astrological-powers. The lack eliminates the same.  Nourishments (fertility fluids) are not lacking. Associations .....
  2. The prodding-sticks (motion-sources) have not brought activity (fertility fluid motion). Alu is lacking that. The Divine is being veiled by the lack. In a similar way these things have been eliminated. Life-Powers are nourished by astrological-powers. Emotions have been made miserable by Yahu's (I'u) eliminations. Those are being nourished by activity (life growth). Emotions are not the same as motion-powers....
  3. Considerations (focused emotions) do not bring nourishments (fertility-fluids). Anger energizes the Reed-Boat (Ayu). The Controllers nourish activity. Their fertility-fluids nourish the Divine. The combing is not lacking. The combing is from the Reed-Boat : [ ] : The eliminations are lacking wind. That is not dehydrating the nourishments. …. Wind-powers … Is veiling the life-powers
  4. [ ] does not bring nourishments. Coherency is not associating Yahu (E') and the life-powers : None of the fathers (life-priests) [ ]. Coherency can eliminate immobility. Those lack Ayu. [word] nourishes motion-powers. Astrological-Powers ...
  5. Don't nourish Thu. Immobility is from the lack of coherency. It is not from activity (life growth). Life-powers are energized by magic. Hu is being blocked by ...  . Endurance is from being constant. Life-powers are frustrated by the nest (network).
  6. This is energizing the fertility-fluids for Yahu (IH, YH). Yahu (E') does not bring nourishments. Yahu is devoted to the moon-eye. Magic is drying the same. (network). Openings [ ]. The Reed-Boat (Ayu) does not bring the threads. Magic constrains activity. Impatience does not bring activity. The baking ....
  7. Thu is not being nourished by the high-powers (astrological powers) ....