Property:script

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Property
Description: Defines the writing system of the inscription.
Type: String
Allows value: North Italic script, Greek script, Latin script, Etruscan script, Camunic script, unknown, none


Definition

In the TIR, variants of epigraphic systems are distinguished on two levels: "scripts" and "alphabets". Note that the distinction and terminology are not necessarily grammatologically sound, but introduced here merely for convenience. The scripts are fairly straightforwardly discriminable variants, usually associated with different languages, i.e. the Greek script as used in mainland Greece and its Mediterranean colonies, the Etruscan script as used by the Etruscan-speaking people of Central Italy, the Latin script as it emerged in Latium and later spread over all of Italy, the North Italic script as used by various peoples north of the Po, and the graphically peculiar Camunic script as used by the ancient Camunni. The fact that all these scripts are related to and derived from each other entails certain similarities and, consequently, difficulties in differentiation. This applies even more to the second level of distinction: The North Italic script, derived from Etruscan, appears in a number of varieties or "alphabets". These alphabets can to some extent be described, distinguished and even derived from each other, but are still so similar that the absence of certain schibboleth characters precludes the ascription of any single document of writing to a specific variety. This is so much the case that the inscriptions collected in the TIR, where they are not written in another script altogether, are considered to be written in the North Italic script; only where possible is the ascription to an alphabet added in brackets.

The list below details the grounds upon which inscriptions are ascribed to a script/alphabet, including the schibboleth characters and additional factors (geographical, linguistical, chronological/archaeological) specially pertaining to the appraisal of the Raetic corpus. For further information see Script.

Greek
Greek writing or its influence might be expected to be found in the catchment area of the early Greek settlements of Adria and Spina in the Po delta or in the very West of Transpadania through influx from the area of Marseille. The Greek script was used to write Continental Celtic in France; one of the earliest Lepontic inscriptions can be argued to be written in Greek – linguistically Raetic (or Venetic) inscriptions written in Greek cannot be excluded. The main identifying epigraphical feature would be the presence of one or more characters for mediae.

Etruscan
None of the Etruscan settlements in the very North (Liguria, the Reggio Emilia and the area around Mantova, Adria and Spina) are situated near the Raetic realm, but Etruscan writing is not unlikely to pop up anywhere in Transpadania. Indeed, seeing as, essentially, all of North Italic writing may be argued to be the Etruscan script applied to other languages, the identification of linguistically Etruscan elements in a document must remain a major reason for also defining its script as Etruscan. Epigraphically, the identifying features are prevalently negative, i.e. the absence of any North Italic characteristics. Consequently, uncertainness of ascription is an issue mainly in the scope of the Lugano alphabet, which deviates least from its Etruscan source.

Latin
The Latin script, eventually obliterating all earlier writing systems in Northern Italy, or Latinoid features must be anticipated in every part of Transpadania. The chronological factor substitutes the geographical one: The younger the document, the more likely the appearance of Latin forms. Equally, inscriptions with peregrine characteristics might tend to be found on imported objects (this also goes for Greek and Etruscan). It can be pointed out that, unlike Venetic, where the shift from North Italic to Latin script can be retraced by means of a great number of late Latinoid inscriptions, such clear testimonies are so far absent from Raetic context.

North Italic

Este alphabet
Distinguished by the use of Zeta Z s for /d/; use of Omikron; syllabic punctuation. Restricted to the Este and Cadore/Agordino, save a few examples from elsewhere in the Venetic realm.

Padova alphabet
Marked by the use of Theta addΘ3 s for /t/; use of Omikron; syllabic punctuation. Restricted to the area of Padova.

Standard Raetic
A.k.a. "Magrè alphabet". Featuring the "inverted" forms of Upsilon U s and Lambda L s typical for Venetic, but also M s with only three bars. Typical, but not exclusive are two characteristics pertaining to writing direction: Sigma with the upper angle opening against writing direction (←S s), and Alpha with the bar slanting upward in writing direction (←A s). No occurrence of Omikron. Prevalent in the South and the North of the Raetic realm. The special character Þ s appears only in Magrè, and is not an identifying feature.

Sanzeno alphabet
A.k.a. "Bolzano alphabet". Upsilon and Lambda appear as U2 s and L2 s as in the Etruscan and Lugano alphabets; M s is the same as in Standard Raetic. The special character has the form Þ3 s. The Raetoid orientation of ←A s and ←S s is exclusive. No occurrence of Omikron. Prevalent in the centre of the Raetic realm.

Lugano alphabet
Epigraphically, virtually indistinguishable from Etruscan, save by particular shapes of San and presence of Omikron.

Camunic
Generally weird. Quite unmistakable, really.

Map

Distribution of inscriptions per script:

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Marker 0000C0.png Greek script (0);Marker FF8080.png Etruscan script (0); Marker 360.png Latin script (3);Marker 80C000.png North Italic script (184); Marker 8080C0.png Camunic script (1); Marker FFFFFF.png none (11); Marker C0C0C0.png unknown (177);

Statistics

Number of pages in the Category:Inscription (389) per "script":

script occurrence  
Greek script
0 0.00 % show list
Etruscan script
0 0.00 % show list
Latin script
3 0.77 % show list
North Italic script
190 48.84 % show list
Camunic script
1 0.25 % [[AV-1|show page]]
unknown
182 46.78 % show list
none
13 3.34 % show list
previous 202050100250500next 20
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North Italic script  +, Camunic script  +
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North Italic script  +
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North Italic script  +
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North Italic script  +
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North Italic script  +
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North Italic script  +
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North Italic script  +
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North Italic script  +
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North Italic script  +
A14.png +
North Italic script  +
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North Italic script  +
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North Italic script  +
A15d.png +
North Italic script  +
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North Italic script  +, Camunic script  +
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North Italic script  +, Camunic script  +
A3.png +
Etruscan script  +, North Italic script  +, Camunic script  +
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Etruscan script  +, North Italic script  +, Camunic script  +
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Etruscan script  +, North Italic script  +, Camunic script  +
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Etruscan script  +, North Italic script  +, Camunic script  +
A5.png +
North Italic script  +

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{
    "type": "PROPERTY_CONSTRAINT_SCHEMA",
    "constraints": {
        "type_constraint": "_txt",
        "allowed_values": [
            "Greek script",
            "Etruscan script",
            "Latin script",
            "North Italic script",
            "Camunic script",
            "unknown",
            "none"
        ]
    }
}
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