Med 47 Lapis Niger Runestone, Rome 700 BC

For translation methodology see: How to Translate Alphabetic Akkadian Texts

Lapis Niger Today Under Its Concrete Pavement. This photo shows its left side With back side partly hidden. The ceiling shown here also supports the black flooring above. The ceiling is a concrete mixed with small fragments of black marble which littered the site. The runestone is 0.47 x 0.51 m, wide, by 0.61 m. high.
Significantly, the runestone's material did not occur within Roman boarders when this shrine was built.  The material, called Grotta Oscura, is a porous well‐lithified tuff of yellowish‐orange color containing fragments of pumice. It is a soft stone. In the sixth century BC, the source of this material was firmly outside Roman territory, laying on the west bank of the Tiber, five miles north‐east of Veii on the east side of the hairpin‐shaped valley of the Valle Lunga (Frank, 1924:61). Consequently, these quarries would have been in the control of Etruscan Veii, and were to remain so until the end of the Third Veientine War. Its use in Rome at such an early date is, therefore, unusual as Rome had ample access to tufo of its own (Heiken et al., 2005).

Lapis Niger From Rome 700 BC

(December 27, 2023) Lapis Niger, the Black Stone, is a site of the Roman Forum, a square area in black marble surrounded by marble slabs that distinguished it from the rest of the Augustan flooring in light colored travertine.  The floor was discovered on January 10, 1899 by Giacomo Boni and the find was reported by  writer Sesto Pompeo Festus. Beneath the black flooring was found a dark runestone adjacent to a small shrine. A gravel layer in the shrine had material remains dating to between 400 to 700  BCE. The black flooring was put in during the forum's reconstruction by Julius or Augustus Caesar. 

The runestone was made from a rock material only found in Etruscan lands. The text is also mostly Etruscan although is also has varying Aegean Island styles mixed in indicating it was composed by a variety of authors. The text turns out to be a debate about who is to blame for some drought with each side writing in their own direction.

Front face reads:


  1. Life-Threads are not being fate-cursed by astrological-owls. (blaming astrological powers, defending life powers)
  2. The Life-Priests divine-powers are veiling the emanations (blaming life powers, defending astrological powers)
  3. Motivate the Baker's (Hu) nourishments. (reconciliation: in either case support the connective life god Hu with magic) 

Left face reads:


  1. [word]  life-manifestations of Yahu are being woven from fertility-fluids reassignments
  2. The astrology-magic of emotion-owls are not angering those divine-powers coming from astrology-magic's considerations
  3. Life-manifestations are not from the scarcity of pain's attendants (astrological owls)
  4. The Revealer's (Yahu) Involvement with this lack is from those astrological-owls

Back face reads:


  1. The Revealer (Yahu) is being fate-cursed by astrology-magic being gathered-together with Hu
  2. Attendants (astrological owls) are grazing-together with the weavers (network editing eagle-vultures)
  3. Meanwhile no astrological-powers are due to the judge's (god Su) ineffectiveness
  4. Envy of Yahu is due to frustration with Yahu's life-manifestations

Right face reads:


  1. Emanations (sun rays, rain) are due to the Controllers (motion powers)
  2. Life-Threads of the sky-shell are ineffective
  3. Fertility-fluids (for the threads/channels) can be energized by the planets
  4. Life-Threads are being fate-cursed by the distributors (astrological-powers)

References

from: https://www.romanoimpero.com/2010/06/lapis-niger.html

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/Forum_Romanum/_Texts/Huelsen*/2/17.html

The Lapis Niger Site During Construction in 2010 

This shows the construction upgrading the site after heavy rain got to the Lapis Niger. From: https://www.romanoimpero.com/2010/06/lapis-niger.html

Top view of dry black pavement in 2017. Notice the cage covered stairway leading to the space below it. De Lapis Niger, het begin van een beschreven stad (The Lapis Niger, the beginning of a described city) by Marleen K. Termeer. Online at: https://www.academia.edu/38266414/Lapis_niger

Model of the Lapis Niger's Adjacent Shrine

(December 24, 2023) The dark square Lapis Niger runestone next to the round pedestal (no inscriptions) and both are adjacent to what seems to be a shrine (sacellum). This shrine is also called the Volcanal. The pedistal likely held a statue. 

The adjacent shrine has a small square pedestal which also must have held a statue of something. One either side are more elaborate pedestals. All of these were likely desecrated by the Gauls during the looting of Rome around 390 BCE.

The shrine is aligned with the cardinal directiosn which is at an angle to the main direction of the valley. A person facing the shrine would be facing  north. In constrast the Lapis Niger is aligned with the direction of the valley and so is at an angle with the shrine.

from: https://www.romanoimpero.com/2010/06/lapis-niger.html

(December 24, 2023) Close-up drawing of the shrine area from 1906. When it was excavated the plinths of the bases were found packed in a layer of gravel which had been purposely brought there: in this layer were found numerous dedicatory gifts, small idols of clay, bone, and bronze, pieces of terracotta bas-reliefs, fragments of vases, bones of animal sacrifices etc.; these are all stored at present in the magazzino of the excavations (plan I m). These objects too come mainly from very ancient times (VIII‑VI centuries B.C.). 

Reference

The Roman Forum — Its History and Its Monuments (1906) by Christian Hülsen, published by Ermanno Loescher & Co, Publishers to H. M. the Queen of Italy. Online at: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/Forum_Romanum/_Texts/Huelsen*/2/17.html

Some of the white Cappellacio tuff overlain by more redish lion-like Tufo Lionato on the Via della Consolazione. From  Christopher Lyes (June 15, 2017) Rethinking the Lapis Niger.Neo - The Classics Students Journal. Online at:  https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8126895

Rome was founded on a ready supply of this material – the Tufo Lionato  and, underlying it, the tufo known as cappellaccio, the very first to be exploited by Rome and which found application in the platform of the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline and the early phases of the Regia. This Cappellaccio is an olive‐grey lithified pyroclastic deposit which outcrops in several places in central Rome, most noticeably on the Capitoline and Palatine and is hence sometimes referred to as Tufo del Palatino From: https://www.romanoimpero.com/2010/06/lapis-niger.html

The Black Pavement After a Rain in 2004. 

This black pavement was laid during the forum renovations by either Julius or Augustus Caesar as a warning to stay away from this old and small sacred spot.
From  Christopher Lyes (June 15, 2017) Rethinking the Lapis Niger.Neo - The Classics Students Journal. Online at:  https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8126895

Lapis Niger And Shrine Was At Entrance to Narrow Valley Which Later Became the Forum

Red contour lines show the elevation of the original ground as determined by core sampling. This narrow valley would have been the entrance to the Palatine hill due to its defensibility form its sides and gentle slope.
From  Christopher Lyes (June 15, 2017) Rethinking the Lapis Niger.Neo - The Classics Students Journal. Online at:  https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8126895

Ancient Rome around 600 BCE. The Lapis Niger and adjacent shrine were located in the central valley which was the entrance to the Palatine hill. This valley later became the forum.

From: https://algargosarte.blogspot.com/2015/09/el-lapis-niger-y-la-cloaca-maxima.html

Roman Forum showing the location of the Lapis Niger runestone circled in red.

From: Huelson, C.H. (1906) The Roman Forum. Trans. Carter, Jesse. Rome: Loescher & Co. Online at: https://archive.org/details/romanforumitshis00hl/page/n9/mode/2up

Scanning the Front Side of Lapis Niger 2015

Scanning stone is 2015. The information is being hidden away for some reason.

https://algargosarte.blogspot.com/2015/09/el-lapis-niger-y-la-cloaca-maxima.html

Photo of 2-Sides of Stele Made During First 1906 Excavation

Top image is front side. Bottom image is right side

Huelson, C.H. (1906) The Roman Forum. Trans. Carter, Jesse. Rome: Loescher & Co. Page 110. Online at: https://archive.org/details/romanforumitshis00hl/page/n9/mode/2up

Photo of Other 2-Sides of Stele Made During First 1906 Excavation

Top image is left side. Bottom images if back side

Huelson, C.H. (1906) The Roman Forum. Trans. Carter, Jesse. Rome: Loescher & Co. Page 111. Online at: https://archive.org/details/romanforumitshis00hl/page/n9/mode/2up

(December 25, 2023)  Front of Lapis Niger. Letter style is mostly Etruscan with a Maltese "Q." The Aegean style "U" is sometimes mixed with the Etruscan style "U."

Translation of Front Face in Akkadian (Med Text 47.1)

(Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Vowels are italic bold) 
  1. Qu  U'a  Ya  Ḫu'u (Med 47.1.1) read right to left
  2. ABu   Di'u  APu  Zu (Med 47.1.1) read left to right (opposite direction usually indicates a contrary opinion to the theme of the other direction)
  3. EDu   Za'u  Bu (Med 47.1.3) read right to left
(Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)

In English

  1. Life-Threads are not being fate-cursed by astrological-owls. (blaming astrological powers)
  2. The Life-Priests divine-powers are veiling the emanations (blaming life powers of the life-priests)
  3. Motivate the Baker's (Hu) nourishments. (in either case support the connective god Hu) 

Reference

http://www.codex99.com/typography/15.htmlHuelson, C.H. The Roman Forum. Trans. Carter, Jesse. Rome: Loescher & Co., 1906.Online at: https://archive.org/details/romanforumitshis00hl/page/n9/mode/2up

(December 26, 2023)  Left side of Lapis Niger. Bottom photo is flipped upside down because lines 3 and 4 were written from this reversed angle. Letter style is mostly Etruscan with  Aegean style letter shin.   

Translation of Front Face, Bottom Section, in Akkadian (Med Text 47.2)

(Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Vowels are italic bold) 
  1. [1]'  Du  Ya'u  UTu  Mu  ENu (Med 47.2.1) read left to right (opposite direction usually indicates a contrary opinion to the theme of the other direction) 
  2. Tu  AKu  AGu  Ya  A  Di'u  Tu  ANu  (Med 47.2.2) read right to left

  1. Du  E  IṢu  YaYa  AḪu (Med 47.2.3) read right to left
  2. Nu  Ku  A  Lu  A   Ḫu'u (Med 47.2.4) read left to right (opposite direction usually indicates a contrary opinion to the theme of the other direction) 
(Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)

In English

  1. [word]  life-manifestations of Yahu are being woven from fertility-fluids reassignments
  2. The astrology-magic of emotion-owls are not angering those divine-powers coming from astrology-magic's considerations

  1. Life-manifestations are not from the scarcity of pain's attendants (astrological owls)
  2. The Revealer's (Yahu) Involvement with this lack is from those astrological-owls

(December 26, 2023)  Back of Lapis Niger. Top photo gives letters assignments for lines 1 and 3 while lower photo give assignments for lines 2 and 4. Letter style is mostly Etruscan with a Maltese "Q." The Aegean style "U" is sometimes mixed with the Etruscan style "U."

Translation of Back Face in Akkadian (Med Text 47.3)

(Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Vowels are italic bold) 
  1. Nu  UYu  Tu  ERu  Ḫu (Med 47.3.1) read right to left
  2. AḪu  Ta'u  U  UKu (Med 47.3.2) read right to left
  3. U  E  La'u  DaNu  EQu  U (Med 47.3.3) read right to left
  4. Qi'u  Ya'u  U  EZu  Y'  D (Med 47.3.4) read left to right (opposite direction usually indicates a contrary opinion to the theme of the other direction)
(Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)

In English

  1. The Revealer (Yahu) is being fate-cursed by astrology-magic being gathered-together with Hu
  2. Attendants (astrological owls) are grazing-together with the weavers (network editing eagle-vultures)
  3. Meanwhile no astrological-powers are due to the judge's (god Su) ineffectiveness
  4. Envy of Yahu is due to frustration with Yahu's life-manifestations

Reference

http://www.codex99.com/typography/15.htmlHuelson, C.H. The Roman Forum. Trans. Carter, Jesse. Rome: Loescher & Co., 1906.Online at: https://archive.org/details/romanforumitshis00hl/page/n9/mode/2up

(December 27, 2023)  Right side of Lapis Niger. Top photo gives letters assignments for lines 1 and 3 while lower photo give assignments for lines 2 and 4. Letter style is mostly Etruscan with a Maltese "Q." The Aegean style "U" and squarish  "B" is sometimes mixed with the Etruscan styles.

Translation of Back Face in Akkadian (Med Text 47.4)

(Capital letters on object. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Vowels are italic bold) 
  1. Zu  ARu  A (Med 47.4.1) read right to left
  2. Qu  EBu  E (Med 47.4.2) read right to left
  3. Mu  Gu  UBu    (Med 47.4.3) read right to left
  4. Qu  U'a  ZaRu (Med 47.4.4) read right to left
(Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words except for Yahu which is keeping its traditional Hebrew transliteration)

In English

  1. Emanations (sun rays, rain) are due to the Controllers (motion powers)
  2. Life-Threads of the sky-shell are ineffective
  3. Fertility-fluids (for the threads/channels) can be energized by the planets
  4. Life-Threads are being fate-cursed by the distributors (astrological-powers)

Reference

http://www.codex99.com/typography/15.htmlHuelson, C.H. The Roman Forum. Trans. Carter, Jesse. Rome: Loescher & Co., 1906.Online at: https://archive.org/details/romanforumitshis00hl/page/n9/mode/2up

Attempted Translation In Latin

Amazingly, all Latin translations are based upon near copies of this letter assignment by Warmington which is completely incorrect. No one has ever gone back to check the original source. E. H. Warmington was Professor of Classics at Birkbeck College, London, and General Editor of the Loeb Classical Library between 1937–1974.

(Akkadian Lettering with faces rearranged for best fit with the proposed Latin. Face numbers in parenthesis)

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(Latin Lettering by Warmington which is completely wrong in both number of lines and letter assignments)

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E.H. Warmington's Original 1940 Translation. 

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“Varronian” Latin Translation by Sascha Engel based on the incorrect Warmington lettering


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Some Translation Comments By Sascha Engel

Many translations for this text have been suggested over the years but this example seems to be the best attempt. The translator, Sacha Engle,  says this about the text:

Reading this text presented to the ancients – and still presents to us – a number of difficulties: the text is incomplete, since the top of the slab is broken off, the Latin on it is very early, and the lettering used is more Greek than Latin. Most interpretations of the text center around the only four undisputed words (SAKROS, RECEI, KALATOREM, IOUXMEN), which have been argued to indicate a sacred legal context.

The text presented here is a “Varronian” translation of that inscription, in that I have exclusively used etymologies found in, or inspired by, Marcus Terentius Varro’s work, De Lingua Latina (“On the Latin Language”), composed in twenty-five books between the years 47-45 BCE and dedicated to Varro’s contemporary, the Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero.

The translation is experimental and does not purport to be an authoritative translation of the text found on the lapis niger. It merely aims to document that this stone slab’s mysteries can be read and interpreted in many different ways, and to imagine what Varro would have made of it.  

Reference

https://exchanges.uiowa.edu/ancient/issues/diversions/lapis-niger/

The Latin text is reproduced from Eric H. Warmington, Remains of Old Latin, Volume IV: Archaic Inscriptions (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1989 (first published in 1940), 242-244. (E. H. Warmington was Professor of Classics at Birkbeck College, London, and General Editor of the Loeb Classical Library between 1937–1974.