Tomb of Orcus - Inscription

Inscription

An inscription in the foundation of the tomb reads as follows:

This has come to be understood as:

Larthiale Hulchniesi Marcesi Caliathesi munisule nacnvaiasi thamuce Le…

The names "Larthiale Hulchniesi" and "Marcesi Caliathesi" are in the dative case, and thus mean "for/to Larth Hulchnie" and "for/to Marce *Caliathe" respectively; "nacnvaiasi" is also dative, from the Etruscan noun nacnvaia, "those who come next" (i.e., posterity); the noun "munsle" refers to any underground monument (and not exclusively to tombs); the verb "thamce" means "established"; the final "Le…" is the Etruscan letters clipped off, though a portion of the next letter is visible, sometimes interpreted as an "i"; the entire name "Leive" has been suggested.

The phrase then translates:

Le erected this monument to Larth Hulchnie and Marce Caliathe for posterity.

Larth Hulchnie is believed to have been the magistrate of Tarquinia in the 4th century BC, and Marce Caliathe is believed to have been his "representative".

Whether the transcription means, however, that Larth Hulchnie and Marce Caliathe were buried in the tomb is debated, especially since they were not Spurinnae; most scholars believe that the monument was simply dedicated to the magistrates. Etruscologists Giuliano and Larissa Bonfante have suggested that the passage is incomplete and would have originally specified "during the magistracy" of Hulchnie and Caliathe (confer zilci Velusi Hulchniesi, "during the magistracy of Velu Hulchnie", found elsewhere in the tomb). According to this interpretation, the phrase would translate:

Le erected this monument for posterity of Larth Hulchnie and Marce Caliathe.

"Marce" is probably a cognate or preform of "Marcus". "Hulchnie" is generally interpreted as the Roman gens "Fulcinius", and "Larth" is believed to be akin to the Greek name "Laertēs"; some have suggested that Larth Hulchnie means "Hulchnie, son of Larth".