Iberian Funerary Texts – a Glossary of Terms

Most of the texts recorded in the East Iberian and Ionian Scripts are funerary texts. They are either epitaphs inscribed on sections of stone or rolls of donors of grave goods recorded mainly on lead foils. The large majority of the lead foil texts (and almost all of the longer ones) fall into this latter category. Iberian funerary texts are very formulaic and share many common words and phrases. The very close relationship to Basque is fairly obvious to anyone with an eye to see, but not to those who do no wish to see (ie, orthodox Vascologists). Below is a glossary of the key words and phrases used in these texts:

ai – family

akar idiran ebon – it is said that he brings you (the donated item) to be found (by the deceased)

are dake – again he departs (e-ke-n “to leave (intransitive)”)

ari – funerary stele

ari gu(k) ditigu – we are having them (the grave goods)

ari ne junstir – who are about to provide the funerary stele

arika – making of the funerary stele

arika ne – who has made the funerary stele

arikale – stonemason

aro – burial pit (beneath the tumulus)

asgandis – last of all

aste – priest

aste beikeaie – have the priest leave it (the donated item) for him (e-ke-n “to leave (transitive)”)

ati – trousseau, grave goods

atu – trousseau, grave goods

atu ne junstir – who are about to donate the grave goods

aur – child

aurunin – heir, heres, heredis

auruni(n) beikeai – have the heir leave it (the donated item) for him (e-ke-n “to leave (transitive)”)

axari salir(ig) – coins bearing a ram’s head

badi – specific item

badi bi – two specific items

badir(ig) – specific items

bagarok – we, the people outside the funerary society

baides – permission

baidesir(ig) – permissions

baideski – with permission

baides bi – two permissions

baitura – kind of ceramic vessel

bale – if he had it

banir(ig) – specific items

barer(ig) – cries of joy

bartin – one who makes peace, judge, trustee

bas – funerary society, collegium funerarium

baserok – we, the members of the funerary society

baspide – rules of the funerary society

baspiderok – we, who follow the rules of the funerary society

baspidirbartin – trustee of funerary society

belagas ixaur – garlic scattering (in the tomb)

berbein – once again

bexor – mare (a votive statuette)

biderok – we, the followers of the rules (of the funerary society)

da baipen – there is permission

dadei – he leaves it

eban – here

ebanen – in here

ebon – it is said

egiar do ne – the one who made it

eparikame du ixesira – the mother partridge (a deity) has an escape

erderok – we, who are outside the funerary society

eri – dead person

erirtan arora – all the dead people to the burial pit

erpakale – scribe

gade – clay used for making funerary urns

gai bi gait – because of two things

gatu – he has us

gatu bareka – he has us (our grave goods) joyously

gatu ladien – he has us (our grave goods) so that he may be

gatu ladien ban idiran – he has our things (grave goods) to find so that he may be

gurs – kind of ceramic vessel

igon mugei – to rise to the boundaries

irika – joyously

irike – joyously

irikide – friend, colleague

iriseret – towards the enclosed area where the ashes of the dead are interred

jei – ceremony

junstir – about to donate

kide – member (of the funerary society)

kidei – to the members (of the funerary society)

leik(e)ta – household, employees

lere udinir(ig) – blue (fresh) ripe fruit

lur – clay used for making funerary urns

mai – desire, love, an emphatic

ne – who

neitin – undertaker, Libitinarius

orkei – kind of ceramic vessel

osereri – hemlock (for scattering in the tomb)

sali – coin

salir(ig) – coins

salir(ig) pos ita sali pos – lucky coins and the lucky coin

sebakaratura – mortarium

seldar – tumulus

seldar ban berbein ari eukiar gatu – this tumulus once again is containing us

sibantin – they erected it (the funerary stele)

surabetika – cornucopia, kind of ceramic vessel

surse – kind of ceramic vessel

sursebetika – cornucopia, kind of ceramic vessel

tai – purvey for the wake

tura – kind of ceramic vessel

turabai – kind of ceramic vessel

tutura – censer

ulti ladie(n) – so that he may be zestful

un – good

unin – best

ure – clay used for making funerary urns

ures udinir(ig) – blue (fresh) hazelnuts

ures unir(ig) – good hazelnuts

uteti – outside (the funerary society)