CHRONOLOGY AND ICONOGRAPHY

Inscriptions

On some of the more recent stele statues  belonging to group C there are inscriptions in the Etruscan alphabet that have drawn much attention but that so far have not been clearly interpreted .  The type of alphabet used , that comprises the “Saint Andrew’s cross” sign that corresponds to a dental “TH” sound ,is typical of northern and eastern Etruria , and also of Padania and Veneto . This type of writing  usually dates back to the middle of the VI cen. b.C. .  There are three known inscriptions :
Mezunemunius ( or mezu nemunius ) on the Zignago stele statue ,
(u) vezaruapus ( or vezaru apus ) on the Filetto II stele statue  and
Vemetuvis on the Bigliolo stele statue .
Even though the interpretation is not yet certain
it would seem that these inscriptions are names , written as a single word ( mezunemunius ) or as two (mezu nemunius ).
© 2015 Museo delle Statue Stele Lunigianesi