This paper
investigates the Etruscan words tiu
and tiur (tiiur), commonly associated with the lunar divinity, through an
analysis of epigraphic evidence from the 6th to 1st centuries BCE. Drawing on
inscriptions such as the Liver of Piacenza, votive texts, and the Liber
Linteus, it reassesses their meanings and relationship. While both terms have
been interpreted as referring to the moon, their usage suggests a more complex
development.
The study argues that tiur is not a plural form of tiu,
but a derived noun formed by means of the nominal suffix -r(a),
originally meaning “moon” and later shifting to “month.” In contrast, tiu is understood as an adjectival form
meaning “associated with light,” which later became a noun denoting the moon.
Rejecting theories of Latin borrowing, the paper supports an internal Etruscan
origin and highlights the evolving link between language, religion, and time in
Etruscan culture.
