Etruscan Gold Temple Foils from Pyrgi, Italy (600-580 BCE)
(Feb 9, 2023) Two of these texts are in Etruscan script and one in Phoenician script but the language of all is Akkadian. The two Druid civilizations were allied at least between between 600 and 530 BCE against the Greeks and Romans and this temple on the shoreline was probably built for that alliance. These gold foils are now at the Etruscan Museum in Rome. Online at:https://www.museoetru.it/masterpieces/lamine-doro-da-pyrgiEnglish: https://www.museoetru.it/enFor translation methodology see: How to Translate Alphabetic Akkadian Texts
Long Etruscan Text
(Feb 9, 2023, Updated December 20, 2024) This text is promoting using astrology-magic to correct the life powers (Alu, Ayu, Kate/Hekate) which seem to have become unbalanced.- [word] is monitoring the emotion-powers (Awen). Is not the monitoring being manifested by the priest-parents (life power priests). Hu is being ineffective.
- Life-Manifestations from the Reed-Boat (Ayu) are being [word]. [word] is opening that. Astrology-magic is being opened. Confusion is being opened.
- Don't frighten Alu's association with the [emotion powers]. Rendering (offerings) will not supervise those
- emanations. The Reed-boat (Ayu) can be ineffective when drunk. Expose the emotional-powers (Awen) emotionally-coercing that.
- Life-manifestations are made ineffective by eagle-vultures (who cut the channels). Freedom does not make ineffective those revelations (of fate) associated with the emanations of Alu.
- [word] nourishments are lacking winds/spirits. Don't reassign the associations with astrology-magic. Craft [word]
- Nourish the supervisor (Thu) and the Revealer (Kate/Hekate). Shouldn't we properly-allocate them? Render and open the associations.
- Astrology-magic motivates the Reed-boat (Ayu). Emanations can be nourished by Ayu. Energy makes ineffective the priest-parent's (life power priest) openings (through the sky shell for emanations).
- Astrology-magic motivates Alu. Associations can make ineffective the revelations (of fate). Emotion-owls are not being nourished. They are not being opened.
- Influences and life-manifestations can be opened by the Instigator (Su). Astrology-magic does not shed (rain). The Reed-boat makes-ineffective the omens.
- Alu can make ineffective the high-powers. The priest-parents (life priest) openings can make ineffective Alu. Activity makes ineffective the associations.
- [subject] life-priests those. Astrology-magic can be manifested by considerations (focused emotions of emotion magic). Frustration is from lacking the high-powers of the priest-parents.
- Openings can be made ineffective the veil (of Kate/Hekate). High-powers are not being re-assigned by the life-priests. Be angry at the fate-curse.
- Storm-powers can amplify that.
- Be free! (Celtic graffito)
- Be free! (Celtic graffito)
Short Etruscan Text
(Feb 9, 2023, Updated December 20, 2024) This text takes the opposite position of the Long Etruscan Text in that is against astrology-magic. It is promoting working with the life powers directly via the life priests.- The fate-curse is nesting the usual behavior. Don't instigate ineffectiveness. Open the high-life-powers.
- [word] is resisting that. Render the Reed-boat (Ayu). The patrollers (planets) are being ineffective.
- Restraints can make ineffective the openings (through the sky-shell). That can make ineffective astrology-magic associated with Alu.
- Fertility-fluids can be associated by considerations (focused emotional thoughts). Astrology-magic (from Su) is not being affected by the crafters.
- Don't resist the associations. Activate the high-life-powers. They can nourish the Baker (Hu).
- Priest-parents of Alu don't life-curse their Alu.
- Nourish the supervisor (Thu) and the Revealer (Kate/Hekate). Shouldn't we properly-allocate them? Render and open the associations.
- Astrology-magic motivates the Reed-boat (Ayu). Emanations can be nourished by Ayu. Energy makes ineffective the priest-parent's (life power priest) openings (through the sky shell for emanations).
- Associations are revealing the fate-curse on those threads/channels
Phoenician/Punic Text
(Feb 9, 2023, Updated December 20, 2024) This text is promoting the integration of the life powers with the motion/emotion powers and suggests using both. This seems to be the compromise position.- Astrological-fate-powers are swarming Yahu (I'). Involvement of threads/channels is making things difficult for the emotion-owls driving the raking (organizing the life network).
- Associating the emotion-owls with the lay-out (of the network) will not crimp them. Involvement can undermine the revelations (of fate).
- Threads are nourished by eagle-vultures. Astrology-magic is emotionally-powered by the Moon-Eye (Su). Don't bind the network birds (owls, eagle-vultures).
- The network can involve eagle-vultures with astrology-magic. Priest-parents (life priests) can change Hu. Emanations are nourished by Hu.
- Bindings can being sown to undermine of the Revealer (Kate/Hekate). Priest-parents can nourish the commands for revealing the patrollers (planets of fate)
- Threads can be revealed by the network-birds. Involve astrological-divination with the threads. The Controllers (Ayu and eagle-vultures) can be involved with nourishing the settings (of planets).
- Emotions can redirect astrology-magic. Involve the pour (fertility-fluids from Alu) with the prodders (Thu and Sirius) . Involve the 3 houses.
- Anoint the emotional-coercion of the patrollers (planets). Curse the manifestations of the Seers.
- Ayu's fertility-fluids are being woven. Don't thread the fertility fluids with emotion owls. That will not result in fertility-fluids.
- Nourishments are swarming astrology-magic involving the revelations (of fate) with the threads. Obligate the Baker (Hu) to open nourishments for the fertility-fluids of
- Ayu.
Gold Foils as Now Displayed at Etruscan Museum in Rome
ETRU Museo Nazionale Etrusco, Villa Giulia in Rome, Italyhttps://www.museoetru.it/en
Model of Second Pyrgi Temple "A" Displayed at Etruscan Museum in Rome
ETRU Museo Nazionale Etrusco, Villa Giulia in Rome, Italyhttps://www.museoetru.it/en
Map of Pyrgi Temple (A), Shrine (B), Area C, and Row of 20 Guest Rooms on the Right
Aerial View of Pyrgi Temple Site Along the Italian Coast Today
(Olmsted personal photo from at Etruscan Museum in Rome)
Pyrgi is number 18 in the close-up. Dots show location where trade goods from the Levant were found. (from Aubet 2016)
Pyrgi Temple Archaeology
During the early 1960’s, archaeological excavations uncovered two temples along a major road between Caere and its coastal port town of Pyrgi. The earliest finds along this road date the road to the about 700 BCE. Also discovered along the road were a stone temple and its workshop annex. The Temple (building A) was built first and dates to 530 BCE while its annex (building B) was finished 20 years later and dates to 510 BCE. Both of them were eventually destroyed by fire presumably by the Alpine Celts in 387 BCE when they also sacked Rome.
Presumably this mostly stone temple replaced an earlier wooden temple and this is the one which held the foils at a time when the Etruscans were allied with the Carthaginians between 600 and 530 BCE
A date earlier than the stone temples is suggested because the texts were found preserved and placed rolled up in a special repository instead of melted down as would normally be the case from a Celtic raid. Because the text is a debate about the proper ritual response to a drought the texts likely date to the first major drought prior to the building of the stone temple. That pushes the date back to the Babylonian invasion drought of 600 BCE.
A paper by Agostini and Zavaroni (2000) describes the find:
In 1964, the archaeological excavations directed by Massirno Pallottino reserved an exceptional surprise. During the exploration of the site, they brought to light a small rectangular "pool" in the area between temple A and B. The archaeologists found inside it three golden plates, together with a fourth bronze plate (CIE 6312) and several architectonic terra-cottas. When the golden plates came to the light, they were rolled up so as to form a sort of "scrolI." After careful unfolding, they were found to be in an excellent state. Two of the golden plate
References
Agostini, P., & Zavaroni, A. (2000) The bilingual Phoenician-Etruscan text of the golden plates of Pyrgi FILOLOGIJA 34(2000), 3-48. Online at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/31e6/2bd8f6fc09ea918d0f14ca4b7f0c24298efb.pdf Aubet, María Eugenia (2016) Phoenician Politics in Colonial Context: Pyrgi Again. In Assyria to Iberia
Art and Culture in the Iron Age edited by Joan Aruz and Michael Seymour. Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Online at: https://www.academia.edu/31497230/Assyria_to_Iberia?email_work_card=view-paper
Colonna (2002) Il santuario di Pyrgi dalle origini mitistoriche agli altorilievi frontonali dei Sette e di Leucotea. Scienze dell’Antichità 10, pp. 251 – 336.
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 whose people 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.
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 possibly as an alley 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. Etruscans seem to have started their last failed war with Rome around 311 BCE while Rome was involved in a southern Italian war. After that they were absorbed into Roman society.
Goddess Ayu from Pyrgi Temple Guest Room
Eagle Vulture from Pyrgi Temple Guest Room
Other Pyrgi Temple Guest Room Figurines
Previous Translation Attempts of the Pyrgi Foils
Several earlier translations of the Pyrgi foils are floating around but all are flawed. Some even claim to be based on a Phoenician dictionary yet no such dictionary exists because no good translation exists. Previous ones are either salad bowl translation or connect the dot translations. These texts do not have word dividers in them.
A connect-the-dot translation consists of the translator picking out a set of seemingly recognizable words scattered throughout the text (the dots) then connecting them with imaginary phrases ignoring most of the letters in between the dots.
A salad bowl translation consists of drawing on word roots from all sorts of more recent languages in the general area and then coming up with weird and esoteric grammatical endings to fill out most of the remaining letters.
In addition, the letter assignments are usually wrong because they are not compared across the whole Mediterranean region. Often letter assignments are even fraudulent being made more to fit a desired word instead of keeping consistency.
Lots of names are another indicator of a failed translation because they can be any combination of letters. Names are often forced into names known from of later times although at the cost of ignoring some letters. As long as the sound is close all is good!
And of course, these translations are not done to the scholar's standard. Without having standards, effective peer review does not exist. This is why the field of ancient linguistics is analogous at the antiquarian stage of digging up historical artifacts before standards were applied tranforming it into archaeology.
Previous Translations
(Salad Bowl) Agostini, P., & Zavaroni, A. (2000) The bilingual Phoenician-Etruscan text of the golden plates of Pyrgi FILOLOGIJA 34(2000), 3-48. Online at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/31e6/2bd8f6fc09ea918d0f14ca4b7f0c24298efb.pdfColonna (2002) Il santuario di Pyrgi dalle origini mitistoriche agli altorilievi frontonalidei Sette e di Leucotea. Scienze dell’Antichità 10 , pp. 251 – 336.
(Salad Bowl) Zamore, Jose A. (2015) Pyrgi Revisited. An Analysis into the Structure and Formulae of Pyrgi’s Phoenician Text. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292989034_Pyrgi_Revisited_An_Analysis_into_the_Structure_and_Formulae_of_Pyrgi%27s_Phoenician_Text
Translation Justification of Pyrgi Foils
Etruscan Pyrgi Temple Long Text Lines 1 and 2
(Updated December 18, 2024)
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- ?? ATu AWu. Ya ATu Du ABu. Ḫu E (Med 7.1)
- Du AMu A?. ?? Pu A. Tu Pu. EŠu Pu (Med 7.2)
In English
- [ ] is monitoring the emotion-powers (Awen). Is not the monitoring being manifested by the priest-parents (life power priests). Hu is being ineffective.
- Life-Manifestations from the Reed-Boat (Ayu) are being A[ ]. [word] is opening that. Astrology-magic is being opened. Confusion is being opened.
Etruscan Pyrgi Temple Long Text Lines 3 and 4
(Updated December 20, 2024)
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- UGu Ya ALu AZu [ ]. Z'u EMu Ya A (Med 7.3)
- Zu, AMu E Še'u. WaPu A'u PaRu A (Med 7.4)
In English.
- Don't frighten Alu's association with the [emotion powers]. Rendering (offerings) will not supervise those
- emanations: The Reed-boat (Ayu) can be ineffective when drunk. Expose the emotional-powers (Awen) emotionally-coercing that.
Etruscan Pyrgi Temple Long Text Lines 5 and 6
(Updated December 20, 2024)
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- Du Ru E. IPu E Ya A Nu AZu Zu ALu (Med 7.5)
- [1] Bu Lu UPu. ENu Ya AZu Tu. UDu U[1] (Med 7.6)
In English.
- Life-manifestations are made ineffective by eagle-vultures (who cut the channels). Freedom does not make ineffective those revelations (of fate) associated with the emanations of Alu.
- [word] nourishments are lacking winds/spirits. Don't reassign the associations with astrology-magic. Craft [word]
Etruscan Pyrgi Temple Long Text Lines 7 and 8
(Updated December 20, 2024)
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- Bu EMu U Nu. Ya ZiTi A. Ze'u U Pu AZu (Med 7.7)
- Tu AMu EDu. Zu Bu AYu. Gi ABu Pu E (Med 7.8)
In English
- Nourish the supervisor (Thu) and the Revealer (Kate/Hekate). Shouldn't we properly-allocate them? Render and open the associations.
- Astrology-magic motivates the Reed-boat (Ayu). Emanations can be nourished by Ayu. Energy makes ineffective the priest-parent's (life power priest) openings (through the sky shell for emanations).
Etruscan Pyrgi Temple Long Text Lines 9 and 10
(Updated December 20, 2024)
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- Tu WaLu EDu. AZu E Nu. AKu Bu Ya. A Pu Ya (Med 7.9)
- LaŠu U Du Pu ADu. Tu EṢu Ya. AMu E ITu (Med 7.10)
In English
- Astrology-magic motivates Alu. Associations can make ineffective the revelations (of fate). Emotion-owls are not being nourished. They are not being opened.
- Influences and life-manifestations can be opened by the Instigator (Su). Astrology-magic does not shed (rain). The Reed-boat makes-ineffective the omens.
Etruscan Pyrgi Temple Long Text Lines 11 and 12
(Updated December 20, 2024)
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- ALu E ILu. ABu Pu E ALu. Ṣu AZu E (Med 7.11)
- [2] ABu A. Tu Du ANu. EZu Lu ILu ABu (Med 7.112)
In English
- Alu can make ineffective the high-powers. The priest-parents (life priest) openings can make ineffective Alu. Activity makes ineffective the associations.
- [subject] life-priests those. Astrology-magic can be manifested by considerations (focused emotions of emotion magic). Frustration is from lacking the high-powers of the priest-parents.
Etruscan Pyrgi Temple Long Text Lines 13 and 14
(Updated December 20, 2024)
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- ALu Zu ELu. E ITu ALu. A ABu Nu. A Ṣu Pu (Med 7.13)
- EDu Zu. ITu ANu IMu. Ḫu Lu Du AMu (Med 7.14)
In English
- Alu emanates the high-life-powers. Make ineffective the omens about Alu. Those are revealed by the priest-parents. They can activate the openings.
- Motivate the emanations. Omens are emotionally-triggered by considerations. Hu can lack manifestations for the Reed-boat (Ayu).
Etruscan Pyrgi Temple Long Text Lines 15 and 16
(Updated December 20, 2024)
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- Pu E APu. ILu ENu Ya ABu. AGu UYa (Med 7.15)
- UMu ŠPu A (Med 7.16)
- IPu (Alpine Celtic Graffito)
- IPu (Alpine Celtic Graffito)
In English
- Openings can make ineffective the veil. High-powers are not being re-assigned by the life-priests. Be angry at the fate-curse.
- Storm-powers can amplify that.
- Be free! (Celtic graffito)
- Be free! (Celtic graffito)
Short Etruscan Foil
Etruscan Pyrgi Short Text Lines 1 and 2
(Updated December 20, 2024)
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- WA B'u USu. ADu Ya E. Pu ELu (Med 8.1)
- [2] UNu A. Z'u AMu. UBu E (Med 8.2)
In English
- The fate-curse is nesting the usual behavior. Don't instigate ineffectiveness. Open the high-life-powers.
- [word] is resisting that. Render the Reed-boat (Ayu). The patrollers (planets) are being ineffective.
Etruscan Pyrgi Short Text Lines 3 and 4
(Updated December 20, 2024)
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- BeLu E Pu. A E Tu ANu ALu (Med 8.3)
- Mu AZu ANu. Tu Ya UDu (Med 8.4)
In English
- Restraints can make ineffective the openings (through the sky-shell). That can make ineffective astrology-magic associated with Alu.
- Fertility-fluids can be associated by considerations (focused emotional thoughts). Astrology-magic (from Su) is not being affected by the crafters.
Etruscan Pyrgi Short Text Lines 5 and 6
(Updated December 20, 2024)
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- WaNu Ya AZu. Ṣu ELu. A Bu EPu (Med 8.5)
- ABu ALu TaMu Ya ALu A (Med 8.6)
In English
- Don't resist the associations. Activate the high-life-powers. They can nourish the Baker (Hu).
- Priest-parents of Alu don't life-curse their Alu.
Etruscan Pyrgi Short Text Lines 7 and 8
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- Pu ILu. ŠuPu ALu AMu U Bu (Med 8.7)
- EGu U Lu UMu ŠuPu (Med 8.8)
In English
- Open the high-powers. Amplify Alu's Reed-boat and nourishments.
- Neglect and lack make stormy the amplification.
Etruscan Pyrgi Short Text Line 9
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- AZu Nu UYu AQu (Med 8.9)
In English
- Associations are revealing the fate-curse on those threads/channels
Phoenician/Punic Text
Phoenician/Punic Pyrgi Text Lines 1 and 2
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- IRu BaQu I'u. Ku Qu ReQu AKu ReDu RuKu (Med 1.1)
- AZu AKu L'u Ya Wu A. Ku MiQi Nu (Med 1.2)
In English
- Astrological-fate-powers are swarming Yahu (I'). Involvement of threads/channels is making things difficult for the emotion-owls driving the raking (organizing the life network).
- Associating the emotion-owls with the lay-out (of the network) will not crimp them. Involvement can undermine the revelations (of fate).
Phoenician/Punic Pyrgi Text Lines 3 and 4
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- Qu Bu Ru. Tu AWa INu. KaMu Ya Pa'u (Med 1.3)
- ŠaTu Ku Ru Tu. ABu TaRu Ḫu. Zu Bu Ḫu (Med 1.4)
In English
- Threads are nourished by eagle-vultures. Astrology-magic is emotionally-powered by the Moon-Eye (Su). Don't bind the network birds (owls, eagle-vultures).
- The network can involve eagle-vultures with astrology-magic. Priest-parents (life priests) can change Hu. Emanations are nourished by Hu.
Phoenician/Punic Pyrgi Text Lines 5 and 6
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- KaMu KaBu MiQu Nu. ABu Bu QaBu UBa Nu (Med 1.5)
- Qu Nu Pa'u. Ku QeRu Qu. ARu Ku Bu ReTu (Med 1.6)
In English
- Bindings can being sown to undermine of the Revealer (Kate/Hekate). Priest-parents can nourish the commands for revealing the patrollers (planets of fate)
- Threads can be revealed by the network-birds. Involve astrological-divination with the threads. The Controllers (Ayu and eagle-vultures) can be involved with nourishing the settings (of planets).
Phoenician/Punic Pyrgi Text Lines 7 and 8
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- IMu IWu Tu. Ku NiQu KaYu. Ku 3 BT (Med 1.7)
- RaḪu PaRu RaBu. TaMu Da BaRu (Med 1.8)
In English
- Emotions can redirect astrology-magic. Involve the pour (fertility-fluids from Alu) with the prodders (Thu and Sirius) . Involve the 3 houses.
- Anoint the emotional-coercion of the patrollers (planets). Curse the manifestations of the Seers.
Phoenician/Punic Pyrgi Text Lines 9 and 10, 11
Translation in Akkadian
(Read right to left. Capital letters on foil Small letters are inferred Inner vowels)- Ayu Mu UKu. Qu Ya Mu AKu. A Ya Mu. (Med 1.9)
- Bu BaQu Tu Ku Nu Qu. ŠaMu EPu Pu Bu Mu (Med 1.10)
- Ayu
In English
- Ayu's fertility-fluids are being woven. Don't thread the fertility fluids with emotion owls. That will not result in fertility-fluids.
- Nourishments are swarming astrology-magic involving the revelations (of fate) with the threads. Obligate the Baker (Hu) to open nourishments for the fertility-fluids of
- Ayu.