VN-16

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Inscription
Transliteration:	?aris
Original script:	?
Object:	VN-16 bone point (bone)
Position:
Orientation:	0°
Script:	North Italic script
Direction of writing:	sinistroverse
Letter height:	0.90.9 cm <br /> – 1.3 cm
Number of letters:	5 – 6
Number of lines:	1
Craftsmanship:	engraved
Current condition:	damaged
Date of inscription:	last decade of the 2nd–1st centuries BC [from object]
Date derived from:	archaeological context, natural science [from object]
Language:	Raetic
Meaning:	unknown
Alternative sigla:	TM 653632

Images

Object VN-16 bone point with inscription VN-16.

Object VN-16 bone point with inscription VN-16.

Inscription VN-16 - front side.

Inscription VN-16 - rear side.

Commentary

Unpublished.

Inscribed on the tapered part of a bone point, running from the drilled hole towards the tip. Length 3 cm. The scratches appearing black on the light bone surface, legibility is impeded by black marks and blots, but is unambiguous. is a little shorter than the other letters, has a very short lower bar. In the right, more heavily scorched area, a group of scratches seems to make up a variant of Heta with four bars, which is not attested elsewhere in Raetic context. Cp. VN-8 with possibly a name in the genitive χaris (and a similar execution of ), but note that while the status of Heta/h in Raetic is not quite clear, Chi is assumed to write a velar media rather than a fricative, wherefore Heta would not be an expectable orthographic variant. Another possibile reading is etaris with one of Theta's lines rather straight.

On the reverse side, a neat sequence (height 1.2 cm, length 2.6 cm) must be interpreted as decoration.