Etruscan numerals

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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.

Etruscan Decimal Symbol *
θu 1 I
maχ 5 Λ
šar 10 X
muvalχ 50
? 100 C
(* 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)

Etruscan	Decimal	Symbol *
θu	1	I
maχ	5	Λ
šar	10	X
muvalχ	50
?	100	C

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 Tartaria 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-šar as English speakers might reason. We instead find -- 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 and <ša> are "four" and "six", the general agreement among Etruscanologists nowadays is now the following:

Etruscan Decimal
θu one
zal two
ci three
huθ four
maχ five
śa six
semφ seven
cezp eight
nurφ nine
śar ten
*θuśar eleven
*zalśar twelve
*ciśar thirteen
huθzar fourteen
*maχśar fifteen
*śaśar sixteen
ciem zaθrum seventeen
eslem zaθrum eighteen
θunem zaθrum nineteen
zaθrum 20
cealχ 30
*huθalχ 40
muvalχ 50
śealχ 60
semφalχ 70
cezpalχ 80
*nurφalχ 90

Etruscan	Decimal
θu	one
zal	two
ci	three
huθ	four
maχ	five
śa	six
semφ	seven
cezp	eight
nurφ	nine
śar	ten
*θuśar	eleven
*zalśar	twelve
*ciśar	thirteen
huθzar	fourteen
*maχśar	fifteen
*śaśar	sixteen
ciem zaθrum	seventeen
eslem zaθrum	eighteen
θunem zaθrum	nineteen
zaθrum	20
cealχ	30
*huθalχ	40
muvalχ	50
śealχ	60
semφalχ	70
cezpalχ	80
*nurφalχ	90

External links

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

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