In Blackwell's History of the Latin Language, as I recall, it's presented as simply one of the earliest known Latin inscriptions. Turns out that it has actually been quite controversial:
https://www.archaeologybulletin.org/art ... bha.22113/
https://archive.archaeology.org/online/ ... ibula.html
http://www.skepticalcommunity.com/forum ... hp?t=45204
The last article, if true, seems to overturn the conclusions of the previous two.
Praeneste Fibula
- Barry Hofstetter
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Praeneste Fibula
N.E. Barry Hofstetter
Cuncta mortalia incerta...
Cuncta mortalia incerta...
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Re: Praeneste Fibula
Hi Barry,
Going to the Wikipedia article confirming the authenticity of the jewel, I checked the references and found this:
https://www.academia.edu/1290713/Scient ... able_doubt_
I, for one, like electron microscopes! Apparently, the genuineness of the jewel was proved back in the 80's, but the problem was Dr. Guarducci's rejection of the inscription, based on the available technology.
With current Scanning Electron Microscopes, they have been able to identify the process of micro-crystallization of the gold surface within the inscription, which in short rules out a forger making the inscription a little over a 100 years ago. So maybe Helvig wasn't a good scholar gone bad! (Although the other 2 articles are pretty condemnatory)
Going to the Wikipedia article confirming the authenticity of the jewel, I checked the references and found this:
https://www.academia.edu/1290713/Scient ... able_doubt_
I, for one, like electron microscopes! Apparently, the genuineness of the jewel was proved back in the 80's, but the problem was Dr. Guarducci's rejection of the inscription, based on the available technology.
With current Scanning Electron Microscopes, they have been able to identify the process of micro-crystallization of the gold surface within the inscription, which in short rules out a forger making the inscription a little over a 100 years ago. So maybe Helvig wasn't a good scholar gone bad! (Although the other 2 articles are pretty condemnatory)
- Barry Hofstetter
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Re: Praeneste Fibula
It's possible even for a bad archeologist to make a good find. I was poking about to see if anybody has disputed the most recent findings, and apparently not, so it sounds as though we may have some confidence in using it as evidence for OL. BTW, I found my copy of The Blackwell History of the Latin Language (the correct title) and it does in fact mention that there is a controversy regarding the item (p. 29), but then goes on to make the point from it anyway...
N.E. Barry Hofstetter
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Cuncta mortalia incerta...
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