Tabula Capuana

The number of surviving Etruscan written documents as well as the numerous references to Etruscan books (named for their religious content libri rituales, libri haruspicini etc.) and references to historiographic works by Etruscan authors in the writings of later Roman authors indicate that the written word must have carried great weight in the Etruscan culture. Regrettably, only few longer texts survived and their content refers to religious or legal topics. Literary, historical or other more mundane texts are missing and with them the possibility of obtaining information as regards the daily life and the history of Etruscan society. It can be assumed that linen was used as a medium for such records. The length of linen with its text written in ink could be rolled up or folded together like a concertina. The only surviving linen book, the "Liber Linteus Zagrabiensis", is the longest text so far and contains a fragmented ritual calendar. Likewise a ritual calendar, the second longest but unfortunately also incomplete text is preserved on the terracotta Tablet from Capua.