Botorrita plaque, Ancient bronze inscriptions near Zaragoza, Spain
The Botorrita plaques are four bronze tablets found near Zaragoza, Spain, bearing inscriptions in both Celtiberian and Latin. Three of the tablets are written in Celtiberian, while the fourth is in Latin and deals with water rights and community agreements.
The tablets were made in the late 2nd century BC and come from an ancient city that once stood in this region. They were uncovered over several decades of excavation at the site, now known as Contrebia Belaisca.
The tablets show that the Celtiberians used their own written language to record legal matters, which was uncommon in this region at the time. One tablet is written in Latin, pointing to direct contact between the local community and Roman administration.
The tablets are on display at the Museum of Zaragoza, where they can be seen alongside other finds from the same site. Allow enough time to look at them closely, as the engravings are fine and worth careful attention.
The first tablet contains the longest known text in the Celtiberian language, with eleven lines on the front and a list of names on the back. It is the only one among the four that uses both sides to record different types of content.
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