Etruscan Tomb of Shields Show  Deity Thu is Hermaphrodite (490 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)

1. Open the high-life-powers with Thu's crafting.  Life-manifestations are being veiled by similar emotional-effects
2. Open the high-life-powers by making-equal these-powers.  They will energize the divine-powers of Ayu. 

Left Scene (Med Text 20.4)

1. [ ] 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 ....
2. 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. ....
3. 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 …  
4. [ ] 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 ...
5. 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  ...
6. 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 ....
7. Thu's high-powers are not being nourished by ....

Left Scene Label in Large Letters Between the Two Deities

1. Lack is resulting from these divine-powers. 
2. Open the high-life-powers by making-equal these-powers.

References

(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. 

(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

(Sept. 15, 2022, updated March 1, 2025) Thu mid-level motion power of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm.

Translation in Akkadian

1. Pu  ELu  Ṭu  UDu.  Du  APu  N'u  Še (Med 20.1)
2. Pu  ELu  Še  A.  A  Gu  D'u  AYu (Med 20.2)

In English

1. Open the high-life-powers with Thu's crafting.  Life-manifestations are being veiled by similar emotional-effects
2. Open the high-life-powers by making-equal these-powers.  They will energize the divine-powers of Ayu. 

References

(Sept. 15, 2022, updated March 1, 2025)  

Translation in Akkadian (Text Med 20.3.1)

1. Lu  A  D'u
2. Pu  ELu  Še  A

In English

1. Lack is resulting from these divine-powers. 
2. Open the high-life-powers by making-equal these-powers.