Etruscan numerals

The Etruscan numerals were used by the ancient Etruscans. The system was adapted from the Greek Attic numerals and formed the inspiration for the later Roman numerals.

(* approximate shape of the symbols, because these are not included in the standard set available on the computer. In addition, a second shape used for 100 is an X with a vertical line going through its center - the symbol for 50 is the bottom half of it) There is very little surviving evidence of these numerals. Examples are known of the symbols for larger numbers, but it is unknown which symbol represents which number. Thanks to the numbers written out on the Tuscania dice, there is agreement about the fact that zal, ci, huθ and śa are the numbers up to 6 (besides 1 and 5). The assignment depends on the answer to the question whether the numbers on opposite faces on Etruscan dice add up to seven, like nowadays. It is a fact that some dice found don't show this proposed pattern. An interesting aspect of the Etruscan numeral system is that some numbers, like in the Roman system, are represented as partial subtractions. So "17" is not written *semφ-śar as users of the Hindu-Arabic (Western) numeral system might reason. We instead find <ci-em zaθrum> -- literally, "three away from twenty". The numbers 17, 18 and 19 are all written in this way.

The general consensus

Despite the continuing debate specifically about which of <huθ> and <śa> are "four" and "six", the general agreement among Etruscologists nowadays is now the following:

Note. Recently (2006) S. A. Yatsemirsky (PDF) has presented evidence that zar = śar meant ‘12’ (cf. zal ‘2’ and zaθrum ‘20’) while halχ meant ‘10’. According to his interpretation the attested form huθzar was used for ‘sixteen’, not ‘fourteen’.

See also

• Etruscan civilization
• Etruscan language
• Old Italic alphabet

External links

• http://users.tpg.com.au/etr/etrusk/tex/grammar.html#num
• http://www.mysteriousetruscans.com/language.html