Museo Archeologico Nazionale

dell' Umbria

Cippus of Perugia (ca. 300 BC)

This travertine boundary stone was found in 1822 on Colle San Marco, outside Perugia. 

The inscription, which comprises 24 lines on the front and another 22 on the left side, is one of the longest Etruscan texts in existence.   The text documents a legal contract that relates to a plot of land that belonged to the families of Larth Afuna  and Aule Velthina, on which the latter had a family tomb. 

The text contains the word “rasnes” which means Etruscan or public – an indication of a developed sense of society.   Larth Reza witnessed the agreement, which ends with an official formula that translates: “It is written”. 

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