Formatted according to latest theory by F. Roncalli for the original lines, distorted when they were copied onto this stone. There are no capital letters in the original, but known and certain names are capitalized below. Line numbers in parentheses indicate those of the actual cippus. Word spacing is mostly hypothetical.
Front ::(1) [t]eurat · tanna · La Rezu L /(2) ame vaχr lautn · ::Velθinaś e/(3)śtla Afunaś sleleθ caru/ ::(4) tezan fuśleri tesnś teiś /(5) raśneś ipa ama ::hen naper /(6) XII ( twelve ) Velθinaθuraś araś pe/(7)raśc ::emulm lescul zuci en/(8)esci epl tularu/ ::(9) Aulesi Velθinas Arznal cl/(10)ensi · θii · θil ::ścuna · cenu e/(11)plc felic Larθalś Afuneś/ ::(13!) falaś χiem fuśle Velθina /(12!)[...] clen θunχulθe/ :: (14) hinθa cape municlet masu / (15) naper śran czl ::θii falaśt V/(16)elθina hut naper penezś/ ::(17) masu acnina · clel · Afuna Vel/(18)θina mler ::zinia inte mame/(19)r cnl Velθina zia śatene/ ::(20) tesne eca Velθina θuraś θ/(21)aura helu ::tesne raśne cei /(22) tesnś teiś raśneś ::χimθ śp/(23)el θuta ścuna Afuna mena /(24) hen ::naper ci cnl hare utuśe /...
Tentative translation From van der Meer (following Facchetti and others) with some adjustments of word order: ::La(rt) Rezul, son of Lart, was the arbitrator for this (case). The family (
lautn) ::of Velthina took (
caru) an oath (
vaχr) along with one (member) from (the family) of Athuna. ::May they accept (
fusle-ri?) (this) as property (
tezan?) according to the Etruscan law (
tesnś teiś raśneś), that (there) be ::12 measures (
naper) of (or "for"?) the Velthina (family), both moving (through it) and crossing (it) (
araś peraśc?), ::(that is) in length and in width (
emulm lescul), through our declaration (
zuci enesci?), up to the place of (these?) boundary stone(s). ::As to Aule Velthinas, son of Arznei, (and) as to the water: He (Aule) may grant (
ścuna) the (drawing) of water (
θil) ::(which was) acquired (
cenu), both for
ep- and with the (appropriate?) price (
feli?), by Larth Afuna. ::(As for?) the stake (
falaś), Velthina [NAME's?] son, by covenant (
θunχulθe), holds (
cape) every property (
χiem fuśle) behind it (i.e. the stake). ::In the sacred place, (there are) five measures (of land), their :: (extent stretching) between the water and the stake. Velthina may own (
acnina) six measures next to five (?). ::Afuna may satisfy (
mlerzinia) Velthina on these (things), ::about which (things) (he is) guarantor (
mamer). Velthina disposes (
śatene) these things (as is) right (
zia). ::By law this tomb (is) the Velthina family's own tomb, ::through this Etruscan disposition according to the Etruscan law. ::In sum, (the agreement) allows only one carve out (
śpel) (or 'exception'; literally 'cave' 'cavity'): Afuna may keep ::three measures (of land) here. Across these, he (may) enter (
hare?)and lead (
utuśe) (livestock)...
Side ::(25)...Velθina ś/(26)atena ::zuc/(27)i enesci · i/(28)pa · śpelane/(29)θi · fulumχ/(30)va · ::śpelθi · /(31) reneθi · eśt/(32)ac Velθina /(34) acilune · ::turune · śc/(35)une · zea. zuc/(36)i · enesci · aθ/(37)umicś · ::Afu/(38)naś · penθn/(39)a · ama · Velθ/(40)ina · Afun(a) /(41) ::θuruni · ein /(42) zeriuna · cl/(43)a · θil · θunχ/(44)ulθl · ::iχ · ca /(45) ceχa · ziχuχ/(46)e
Tentative translation Following van der Meer, as above: ::May Velthina order ::through our declaration (?) that as to the grotto, the sacred objects ::shall stay in the grotto at his disposal(?). And the same Velthuna shall do, :: give, and make good the right (things), through our declaration(?). ::The cippus (
penthna) will be (the property) of the noble (
athumicś) Afuna. Velthina will not prosecute (
ein zeriuna) Athuna through (judicial) authority (
thurune?). This is the accord concerning the water (rights), ::as it is written above. In line 10,
θi-i and
θi-l are respectively dative/instrumental and genitive for "water," and according to Facchetti (and approved by Wylin) the form
cenu means "(is) obtained." Wylin translates the phrase (9-11)
Aulesi Velθinas Arznal clensi/ θii θil ścuna cenu e/pl-c feli-c Larθal-ś Afun-e as "'With respect to the water of Aule Velthina, son of Arznei, the use (
ścuna) of water is obtained both
epl and
feli by Larth Afuna." And Wylin points out that the
tricolon in lines 33-34
acilune. turune. ścune probably corresponds to the Latin legal phrase
facere, dare, praestare "to do, to give, and to make good," a phrase used with respect to personal obligations rather than legal rights." Some phrases identified and partly translated by van Heems include: (1-2)
eurat tanna larezul ame --"Larezul is the arbitrator
tanna (of what follows?)"; (2-3)
vaχr lautn Velθinaś eśtla Afunas slel eθ caru -- "An agreement of the Velthina tribe with that of Afuna, by his own (accord) was concluded (
car-u ?)"; (3-5)
tezan fuśle-ri tesnś-teiś raśneś -- "Complying (
tezan ?) to the ordinances (
fuśle-ri ?) from the public/Etruscan law"; (5-7)
ipa ama hen naper XII Velθina-θur-aś araś peraś-c -- "that 12
hen (arable?) acres of Velthinas shall be dedicated and
pera -ed." (18-21)
inte mamer cnl Velθina zia śatene tesne, eca Velθina θuraś θaura helu --"To the (tomb) which Velthina
zi-ed on the
mamer according to the
satena law, this has been
hel -ed as the tomb of Velthina". In lines 29–30, the form
fulumχva mirrors
pulumχva in the
Pyrgi Tablets and (in the singular?)
pulum in the inscription on the
Golini Tomb. (36-46)
aθumicś Afunaś. penθna. ama. Velθina. Afuna θuruni. ein zeriuna. cla. θil. θunχulθl. iχ. ca ceχa. ziχuχe -- "The cippus of Afuna is
aθumicś. Velthina (and) Afuna together (
θuruni ?) shall not
zerina (violate?) the accord concernting the water (rights), as this is written above." ==Notes==