Etruscan Tomb of Shields Show Deity Thu is Hermaphrodite (490 BCE)
For translation methodology see: How to Translate Alphabetic Akkadian Texts
Embedded Files
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)
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
Etruscan Tomb of Shields Using Affection to Illustrate Power Coherency Between Thu and Life-Powers 499 BCE
(Sept. 17, 2022, updated March 1, 2025) 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)
Right Scene (Med Text 20.3)
- Open the high-life-powers with Thu's crafting. Life-manifestations are being veiled by similar emotional-effects
- Open the high-life-powers by making-equal these-powers. They will energize the divine-powers of Ayu.
Left Scene (Med Text 20.4)
Left Scene (Med Text 20.4)
- [ ] These divinities are being ineffective. They are lacking effective openings. : Equality will result emanations. : Lack is making ineffective the expulsion of emotion-powers. Lack is not from veiling the fate. Selu/Selene can equalize the emanations. Nourishments (fertility fluids) are lacking. Ineffectiveness is associating ....
- Prodding (by motion-powers) will activate Ayu. Alu is lacking that (her). The divine-powers are being veiled by the lack. Equality will result emanations. Life-manifestations can be nourished by fate. Emotions are being fate-cursed. Yahu's (I'u) emanations will result in nourishments. Activate emotions. Emotion-powers (Awen) are not being equalized. ....
- Considerations (focused emotions of emotion magic) can nourish. Ineffectiveness can anger the Reed-Boat (Ayu). Energy for the Controllers (eagle-vultures) can activate nourishments. Fertility-fluids will results in divine nourishing. The combing (the life network with eagle vultures) is not lacking. Combing is veiling these : Fate-curses are activating [word] : Emanations are lacking wind. These are not dehydrating the nourishments. …. Wind-powers …
- [ ] can make nourishing ineffective. The same will not associate Yahu (E') with life-manifesting : The ineffectiveness of the priest-parents [ ] the same emanations Mobility is resulting in Ayu lacking [word]. Emotion-powers (Awen) can nourish frustration. Fertility-fluids are ineffective. Fate ...
- Don't nourish Thu. Fertility-fluids are restraining the same. Expel ineffectiveness. Manifest the energy of astrology-magic. Hu is being blocked by ... . Don't manifest Alu. Emanations can be constant. The Instigator (Su) is frustrating the nesting of ...
- These can energize the fertility-fluids for Yahu (IH, YH). Yahu's (E') nourishments can make ineffective Yahu's eye-of-fate. Astrology-magic can open. Astrology-magic can make ineffective the openings. The same openings [ ]. The Reed-Boat's (Ayu) threading is being ineffective. Astrology-magic can activate the Restrainer (Ayu). Frustration will activate ineffectiveness. Render to ....
- Thu's high-powers are not being nourished by ....
Left Scene Label in Large Letters Between the Two Deities
Left Scene Label in Large Letters Between the Two Deities
- Lack is resulting from these divine-powers.
- Open the high-life-powers by making-equal these-powers.
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/References
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
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.
Etruria 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.
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)
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_RealityReferences
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)
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 (Text Med 20)
Right Scene Text Translation (Text Med 20)
(Sept. 15, 2022, updated March 1, 2025) Thu mid-level motion power of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm.
Translation in Akkadian
(read right to left. Capital letters on stone. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs in italic bold. Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words)Translation in Akkadian
Chart Used: Aegean Lineage, Letter style is Etruscan
- Pu ELu Ṭu UDu. Du APu N'u Še (Med 20.1)
- Pu ELu Še A. A Gu D'u AYu (Med 20.2)
In English
In English
- Open the high-life-powers with Thu's crafting. Life-manifestations are being veiled by similar emotional-effects
- Open the high-life-powers by making-equal these-powers. They will energize the divine-powers of 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/References
Left Scene Translation
Left Scene Translation
Scene label at the bottom of the main text. The text on the left is unreadable.
Left Scene Label
Left Scene Label
(Sept. 15, 2022, updated March 1, 2025)
Translation in Akkadian (Text Med 20.3.1)
(read right to left. Capital letters on stone. Small letters are inferred Inner vowels. Verbs in italic bold. Dual use letters are E/H, I/Y, U/W, and '/A in which vowel appears at beginning of words)Translation in Akkadian (Text Med 20.3.1)
Chart Used: Aegean Lineage, Letter style is Etruscan
- Lu A D'u
- Pu ELu Še A
In English
In English
- Lack is resulting from these divine-powers.
- Open the high-life-powers by making-equal these-powers.
Lines 1 and 2
Lines 3 and 4
Lines 5 and 6
Line 7
(Sept. 17, 2022, updated March 1, 2025) 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)Translation in Akkadian (Text Med 20.4)
- [ ]. A D'u E. A Lu Pu E : Še A Zu : Lu E AṢu IMu. Lu APu Ya Le'u. ŠeLu Še Zu. Bu Lu. E AZu ..... A [1] (Med 20.4.1)
- K'u Ṣu AYu. 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)
- Anu Bu. E AGu AMu. Gi ARu Ṣu Bu. Mu A D'u Bu. ZaPu Lu Ya. ZaPu APu A : Wa Ṣu [1] : Zu Lu UPu. A ṢaMu Ya Bu. [ ]' UPu A[ ] ... UP ... (Med 20.4.3)
- [ ] Bu E. Še AZu Ya E'u U Du : E ABu [ ]Š Še Zu. MuBu A AYu Lu A[1] A'u Bu EZu. Mu E. Le'u ... (Med 20.4.4)
- Bu Ya Ṭu. Mu BeLu Še. AṢu E. Du Gi Tu. Ḫu Ṣe’u ... Du Ya ALu. Zu GiNu. ADu UZu Be'u [ ] (Med 20.4.5)
- A Gi Mu YaHu. Ea'u Bu E I'u IGu. Tu Pu. Tu E Pu. Še Pu A[2]. AMu Qu E. Tu Ṣe BeLu. EZu Ṣe E. Z'u [1]DZ. (Med 20.4.6)
- Ṭu ILu Bu Ya ... (Med 20.4.7)
In English
In English
- [ ] These divinities are being ineffective. They are lacking effective openings. : Equality will result emanations. : Lack is making ineffective the expulsion of emotion-powers. Lack is not from veiling the fate. Selu/Selene can equalize the emanations. Nourishments (fertility fluids) are lacking. Ineffectiveness is associating ....
- Prodding (by motion-powers) will activate Ayu. Alu is lacking that (her). The divine-powers are being veiled by the lack. Equality will result emanations. Life-manifestations can be nourished by fate. Emotions are being fate-cursed. Yahu's (I'u) emanations will result in nourishments. Activate emotions. Emotion-powers (Awen) are not being equalized. ....
- Considerations (focused emotions of emotion magic) can be nourished. Ineffectiveness can anger the Reed-Boat (Ayu). Energy from the Controllers (Su and Selu/Selene) can activate nourishments. Fertility-fluids can be the result of divine nourishing. The combing (the life network with eagle vultures) is not lacking. Combing is veiling these : Fate-curses are activating [word] : Emanations are lacking wind. These are not dehydrating the nourishments. …. Wind-powers …
- [ ] can make nourishing ineffective. The same will not associate Yahu (E') with life-manifesting : The ineffectiveness of the priest-parents [ ] the same emanations Mobility is resulting in Ayu lacking [word]. Emotion-powers (Awen) can nourish frustration. Fertility-fluids are ineffective. Fate ...
- Don't nourish Thu. Fertility-fluids are restraining the same. Expel ineffectiveness. Manifest the energy of astrology-magic. Hu is being blocked by ... . Don't manifest Alu. Emanations can be constant. The Instigator (Su) is frustrating the nesting of ...
- These can energize the fertility-fluids for Yahu (IH, YH). Yahu's (E') nourishments can make ineffective Yahu's eye-of-fate. Astrology-magic can open. Astrology-magic can make ineffective the openings. The same openings [ ]. The Reed-Boat's (Ayu) threading is being ineffective. Astrology-magic can activate the Restrainer (Ayu). Frustration will activate ineffectiveness. Render to ....
- Thu's high-powers are not being nourished by ....
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