Skadi - Death Foreshadowing Demon

For translation methodology see: How to Translate Alphabetic Akkadian Texts

"Skary" or "Skadi" 325 BCE

(March 7, 2025) This seems to be a post-restoration picture. Notice the label above his head written in the standard Druid Akkadian style of right to left spelling ŠKARY. If translated as ŠK.AR.Y it means  "The narrow-thing is not in control." This may be the source word for "scary" via middle English "sker" (1400 CE) meaning "fear" as it does not come from Indo-European. What "narrow-thing" means is not certain.

This fresco was found in the François Tomb in Tuscany, Italy. The François Tomb is an important painted Etruscan tomb from the Ponte Rotto Necropolis in the Etruscan city of Vulci, Lazio, in central Italy. It was discovered in 1857 by Alessandro François and Adolphe Noël des Vergers. It dates to the last quarter of the 300's BCE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Tomb

"Skary" Full Context 325 BCE

(March 7, 2025) Unfortunately, no better picture exists allowing for translation of the other labels. This shows a killing being supervised by skadi/scary with spirits on the left and warriors on the right.

Photo at: https://www.lafune.eu/restituite-a-vulci-i-dipinti-della-tomba-francois/

Photo: French National Library Number: De Ridder.920a. The Bibliothèque nationale de France is the national library of France, located in Paris on two main sites known respectively as Richelieu and François-Mitterrand. It is the national repository of all that is published in France. This is on display at the  Museum's Richelieu site. Online at: https://medaillesetantiques.bnf.fr/ws/catalogue/app/collection/record/5714?vc=ePkH4LF7w1I94aqfsJQGpkZopb6-HeEUCs0ZZaU5yZlgDbBQAQAAqC-Q

Elf ears often occur in human babies in a condition known as Stahl's ears. Yet these days they are usually re-shaped surgically  in infancy towards a more common human shape. Still one can see how they could have been seen as evidence for a past race of elves which intermixed with humans. Yet unlike today, these ears were seen as ominous in the past. https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/stahl-s-ear

Front Side of 1833 Skadi Cup from Vulci Illustrates How Greek Spirit and Deity Names Can Originate From Akkadian Phrases

(Updated March 30, 2024) This scene shows Skadi standing over an execution. The Greek writing direction of left to right, opposite that of Akkadian, probably originated with these short Akkadian phrases which could be perceived as single words in the native tongue when read in the opposite direction.

Vulci, where it was found, was a major Etruscan city located 80 km north of Rome along the coast on the Fiora River.  During the 1800's hundreds of ancient tombs around  Vulci were discovered and looted. Many of these artifacts have found their way into the major museums of the world but many likely remain hidden away in private collections. Despite these discoveries most of these tombs were later forgotten and lost. 

Translation in Akkadian (Med 22.3)

(read right to left. Capital letters on pot. Inner vowels inferred. Verb is italic-bold) 
  1. (right) IDu  AŠu (Med 22.3.1)
  2. (left) Zu  APu  Ya  A (Med 22.3.2)

In English

  1. The life-channel is spewing-forth 
  2. Emanations are not being veiled by this

As Greek Words (left to right)

  1. Skadi
  2. Aipaz

Photo: French National Library Number: De Ridder.920b. The Bibliothèque nationale de France is the national library of France, located in Paris on two main sites known respectively as Richelieu and François-Mitterrand. It is the national repository of all that is published in France. This is on display at the  Museum's Richelieu site. Online at: https://medaillesetantiques.bnf.fr/ws/catalogue/app/collection/record/5714?vc=ePkH4LF7w1I94aqfsJQGpkZopb6-HeEUCs0ZZaU5yZlgDbBQAQAAqC-Q

Side 1 of another krater from Vulci found in 1833 showing demon Skadi in the left center, without wings, acting innocent towards a lady.  (Photo: French National Library Number: De Ridder.920)

Back Side of 1833 Skadi Krater from Vulci Illustrates Skadi's Failed Attempt To Affect Life Manifestations

(Updated March 30, 2024) Front side of this krater shows a scene illustrating treachery with the demon Skadi in the middle. 

Right Text (Med 22.1)

Translation in Akkadian 

(read right to left. Capital letters on pot. Inner vowels inferred, Verb is italic-bold)
  1. Du  Emu  Azu  Lalu  A

In English

  1. The Life-Manifester (Asher) is supervising the association from this desire.

Left Text in Front of Skadi (Med 22.2)

Translation in Akkadian 

(read right to left. Capital letters on pot. Inner vowels inferred. Verb is italic-bold)
  1. SaRu  Ne'u  Ya  A (Med 22.2.1)
  2. Iku  Da  Mu  Ku (Med 22.2.2)
  3. Bu  AZu (Med 22.2.3)

In English

  1. The Death-Omen (Skadi) is not affecting it (her)
  2. The irrigated-field (life network) is manifesting the fertility-fluid's involvement
  3. Nourishments are being associated 

The Second Etruscan Skadi Pot From Vulci 550 BCE

Photo: French National Library Number: De Ridder.918b. The Bibliothèque nationale de France is the national library of France, located in Paris on two main sites known respectively as Richelieu and François-Mitterrand. It is the national repository of all that is published in France. This is on display at the  Museum's Richelieu site. Online at: https://medaillesetantiques.bnf.fr/ws/catalogue/app/collection/record/3981?vc=ePkH4LF7w1I94aqfsJQGpkZopb6-HeEUCs0ZZaU5yZlgDbBQAQAAqC-Q

Etruscan Snake Text (Med Text 21.1)

(Updated March 30, 2024) The letter style is Etruscan

Translation in Akkadian

(read right to left. Capital letters on pot. Inner vowels inferred)
  1.  ALu  Mu  A  E

In English

  1.  Alu's fertility-fluids are made ineffective by this

Etruscan Skadi Krater from Vulci, Italy Illustrates an Attack on the Coherence of Life and Motion Powers

(Updated March 30, 2024) The krater on the left shows the demon Skadi on far right threatening a dancing couple representing the coherence of life and motion powers with an angry snake. To the right of the couple is another demon with an axe ready to cut links out of the life network. 

Some graffiti was scratched above the snake  and on either side of the “V” on the opposite side. The dancing couple are the life goddess Ayu identified by her snake skin hat and some god identified by his tiara. This was found in 1844.

Right Text Above Skadi's Snake Threatening the God Alu

  1. Alu's fertility-fluids are made ineffective by this

Text Behind the Woman (Goddess Ayu who Edits the Life Network)

  1. (bottom or right) Motion-powers deplete the fabric (life network).

Leftmost Text In Front of a Wingless Skadi

  1. (leftmost) The sky-shell's openings are lacking the expectations to force-flow anything. :  Revelations (of life forms) are nourished by that :  Ayu makes stormy the life-manifestations : Su is lacking nothing. The divine's connections are nothing. 

This text is blaming the motion powers for a drought and blaming emotion magic rituals for not being an effective cure. "Expectations" are generated by emotion magic rituals and these rituals were being done to push the fertility fluids through the life network represented by the goddess Ayu. The astrological motion powers represented by the full moon god Su are not being blamed. The cure for the drought is from supporting the life powers of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm.

Skadi in Tomb of Orcus 1 shown with the added powers of wings and axe. 

(Nov. 23, 2022) The wings indicate he is a middle layer power in the Ancient Pagan Paradigm while the axe is for cutting the life threads of the network. His skin has a bluish tint representing the color of death.   (Photo by Steingräber 2006 via Guerriero, Aug. 2015)

Text Between Demon and Dancing Couple (Med Text 21)

(Updated March 30, 2024) The letter style is Etruscan

Translation in Akkadian 

(read right to left. Capital letters on pot. Inner vowels inferred)
  1. EBu  Pu  Lu  AQu  ZiBu  E  :  Nu  A  Bu  :   AYu  Du  UMu  :  Su  Lu  E.  Di'u  DaBu  E    (Med Text 21.3)
  2. AWu  BuZu  KaTu. (Med Text 21.2)

In English

  1. (leftmost) The sky-shell's openings are lacking the expectations to force-flow anything. :  Revelations (of life forms) are nourished by that :  Ayu makes stormy the life-manifestations : Su is lacking nothing. The divine's connections are nothing. 
  2. (behind the woman) Motion-powers deplete the fabric (life network).

Vulci Archaeological Park Today

Vulci was a major Etruscan city located 80 km north of Rome along the coast on the Fiora River.  During the 1800's hundreds of ancient tombs around  Vulci were discovered and looted. Many of these artifacts have found their way into the major museums of the world but many likely remain hidden away in private collections. Despite these discoveries most of these tombs were later forgotten and lost. 

Skadi/Skary Cup From Vulci 500 BCE

(March 7, 2025) It is now located at the State Collection of Antiquities, Munich (Staatlichen Antikensammlungen).

https://life-globe.com/en/staatlichen-antikensammlungen-munich/

Photo from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Staatliche_Antikensammlung_etruscan_Charun_500BC_01_1.jpg

In the earliest Nordic texts, Skadi was a spirit associated with death in the high mountains, from wolves, and from  hunting.
Skadi (Skaði in Old Norse) has a unique letter (ð) not exactly found in Akkadian. The sound of ð changed from /d/ in Akkadian to /th/ when used inside words (it became /d/ again in English. 

Skadi As Represented In Early Nordic Texts

(March 30, 2024) Skadi (Skaði in Old Norse) is first mentioned in Etruscan texts but Skadi is most well known from a later  Christian influenced Nordic traditions. In these texts Skadi is presented as a woman and the wife of Njörðr and mother of Freyr although this earliest story only indicates that Njörðr had offspring with their mother not being mentioned. Her gender as a woman was assumed from her/his temporary relationship with Freyr despite the story being more about her inability to live among the living  than any love match. The Nordic story is found in a text called the GYLFAGINNING which is the first main part of the  Prose Edda (1200-1300 CE) after the initial Prologue. It is: 


Skadi would fain dwell in the abode which her/his father had had, which is on certain mountains, in the place called Thrymheimr; but Njördr would be near the sea. They made a compact on these terms: they should be nine nights in Thrymheimr, but the second nine at Nóatún. But when Njördr came down from the mountain back to Nóatún, he sang this lay:
Loath were the hills to me, I was not long in them,    Nights only nine;To me the wailing ofwolves seemed ill,    After the song of swans.
Then Skadi sang this:
Sleep could I neveron the sea-beds,    For the wailing of waterfowl;He wakens me, who comes from the deep--    The sea-mew every morn.
Then Skadi went up onto the mountain, and dwelt in Thrymheimr. And she goes for the more part on snowshoes and with a bow and arrow, and shoots beasts; she is called Snowshoe-Goddess or Lady of the Snowshoes. So it is said:
Thrymheimr't is called,where Thjazi dwelt,    He the hideous giant;But now Skadi abides,pure bride of the gods,    In her father's ancient freehold.
Online at: https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/pre/pre04.htm

The English word "Shadow" comes from the word "Skadi" via Middle English shadwe, from Old English sceadwe, sceaduwe. Similar formation in Old Saxon skado, Middle Dutch schaeduwe, Dutch schaduw, Old High German scato, German schatten, Gothic skadus "shadow, shade." The phrase "Shadow of Death" comes from the Vulgate umbra mortis (Psalm xxiii.4, etc.), which translates in Greek as skia thanatou. In "Beowulf," Grendel is a sceadugenga, a shadow-goer, and another word for "darkness" is sceaduhelm (land of shadow). To be afraid of one's (own) shadow  is from 1580s. (https://www.etymonline.com/word/shadow)

Scandinavia as the land of shadows also likely derives from Skadi.