Editing Iguvine Tablets (section)

{{Short description|Bronze tables containing inscriptions in Italic languages}}
[[File:Tavole iguvine, in lingua umbra III-I secolo ac. ca., 00.JPG|300px|thumb|The seven Iguvine Tablets]]
[[File:Tavole eugubine.jpg|thumb|300px|Detail on one of the tablets.]]
The '''Iguvine Tablets''', also known as the '''Eugubian Tablets''' or '''Eugubine Tables''', are a series of seven [[bronze]] tablets from ancient [[Iguvium]] (modern [[Gubbio]]), [[Italy]], written in the ancient Italic language [[Umbrian language|Umbrian]]. The earliest tablets, written in the native [[Umbrian language|Umbrian]] alphabet, were probably produced in the 3rd century BC, and the latest, written in the [[Latin alphabet]], from the 1st century BC. The tablets contain religious [[inscription]]s that memorialize the acts and rites of the Atiedian Brethren, a group of 12 [[priest]]s of [[Jupiter (god)|Jupiter]] with important municipal functions at Iguvium. The religious structure present in the tablets resembles that of the early stage of Roman religion, reflecting the [[Archaic Triad|Roman archaic triad]] and the group of gods more strictly related to Jupiter. Discovered in a farmer's field near [[Scheggia e Pascelupo|Scheggia]] in the year 1444, they are currently housed in the Civic Museum of the [[Palazzo dei Consoli]] in Gubbio.

The tablets are the longest document of any of the [[Osco-Umbrian]] group of languages, which are closely related to Latin. The tablets shed light on the [[grammar]] of the language, and also on the [[religion|religious]] practices of the [[ancient peoples of Italy]], including the [[Religion in ancient Rome|archaic religion of the Romans]]. Parts of tablets VI and VII appear to be written in an [[accent (poetry)|accent]]ual [[Meter (poetry)|metre]], similar to the [[Saturnian (poetry)|Saturnian]] metre that is encountered in the earliest Latin poetry.

The complete text, together with a translation into Latin, was published in 1849 by Aufrecht and Kirkhoff, in London in 1863 by [[Francis William Newman|Francis Newman]], and in 1931 by [[Albrecht von Blumenthal]]. G. Devoto's edition dates from 1948. James W. Poultney published''The Bronze Tables of Iguvium'' in 1959 (which received the Goodwin Award in 1961), which included English translations along with notes, a glossary, etc. Although the general meaning of the tablets is clear, there are still some debated points and issues. The main difficulty in understanding the text is insufficient knowledge of Umbrian vocabulary.

These are the only documents with details of sacred rituals from the ancient religions of Europe which have survived in an almost complete state.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}} Moreover, their content deals with the rituals (sacrifices and prayers) addressed to the highest gods of the local community and to some extent may reflect the common religious beliefs and practices of the Italic peoples.

The modern [[Festa dei Ceri|Festival of Ceri]], celebrated every year in Gubbio on May 15 in honor of Bishop [[Ubald]] or Ubaldo of Gubbio (1084–1160), shares certain features with the rites described in the text and so may be a survival of that ancient pre-Christian custom. It is also celebrated in [[Jessup, Pennsylvania]], a town with a large number of immigrants from the Gubbio area, as [[Saint Ubaldo Day]].<ref name="archive.org">Poultney, J.W. "Bronze Tables of Iguvium" 1959 p. 1 https://archive.org/details/bronzetablesofig00poul/page/n19/mode/2up</ref>