VA·20
| Inscription | |
|---|---|
| Reading in transliteration: | ṣnaśịọụịṭoṣ § |
| Reading in original script: |        
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| Object: | VA·20 Arsago Seprio (bowl) |
| Position: | bottom, outside |
| Orientation: | 180° |
| Direction of writing: | sinistroverse |
| Script: | North Italic script (Lepontic alphabet) |
| adapted to: | Latin script |
| Letter height: | 1 cm0.394 in <br /> |
| Number of letters: | 10–11 |
| Number of words: | 1 |
| Number of lines: | 1 |
| Workmanship: | scratched |
| Condition: | damaged |
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| Archaeological culture: | La Tène D [from object] |
| Date of inscription: | late 2nd–1st c. BC [from object] |
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| Type: | unknown |
| Language: | Celtic |
| Meaning: | 'Snaśiouitos' (?) |
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| Alternative sigla: | Morandi 2004: 120 |
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| Sources: | Morandi 2004: 604 no. 120 |
Images
 Inscription VA·20 from Morandi 2004
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 Potsherd VA·20 Arsago Seprio with inscription VA·20 from Morandi
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 Fragment VA·20 Arsago Seprio with inscription VA·20
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 Inscription VA·20
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Commentary
First published in Volontè Fredini 1990: 68, 72. Examined for LexLep on 30th April 2022.
Images in Veronesi 1990: tav. Vd (drawing), Morandi 2001: 12, no. 5 (drawing), Morandi 2004: 603, fig. 16.129 (drawing) and tav. XVIII.120 (photo).
Inscribed upside-down on the bottom of the vessel near the rim of the foot (length ca. 9 cm). naś- is the only clearly legible part. Before nu, a slighter trace looks like only slightly curved sigma as repeatedly attested at Sant'Ambrogio (cf. VA·7, VA·8). It was read as alpha by Volontè Fredini (anasc) and Solinas 1995: 384 (anask), which is impossible. Morandi (also 2001: 12, no. 5) describes the trace as an unintentional half-moon-shaped scratch, but considering the smoothness of the surface around the inscription the trace must have some significance. The lower parts of the five letters following san are missing, but they can be reconstructed with reasonable confidence; most are already in Morandi's reading naśiọụị?ọị. St. Andrew's cross is particularly deeply incised, while the last two letters are more faint. Omicron is clear. Morandi identifies the final letter as iota, but again a slight counterrotating curvature indicates sigma (see S on cases of uncertainty concerning final iota vs. sigma). Offset toward the bottom of the hypothetical line follows a large fragmentary character which is judged by Morandi to be a para-script sign, possibly a potter's mark and presumably unconnected with the inscription. The inscription is thus complete, also in the beginning, where no trace of letters can be seen in the 1 cm gap before initial sigma. The alphabet is Lepontic (alpha, san), but nu has a Latin shape (cf. VA·19 from the same grave).
The form can be interpreted as a masculine personal name, though the analysis is not clear (see the word page).
David Stifter, Corinna Salomon
