New answers tagged inscription
5
The only explanation that makes any sense at all is that “umbr” is an abbreviation of “umbra” and that the free-standing vertical stroke is not a letter, but a punctuation mark. Thus, the inscription reads “sicut umbr(a), declinaverunt”, “like unto a shadow, they have declined”, scil. “my days”.
It is actually quite common to adorn sundials (free-standing or ...
1
Vertical strokes are not necessarily letters; they can also be visual elements and punctuation. The three symbols at the top of the motif are "I DE" which, rearranged, spell "DEI"; consequently the radiating lines below indicate that the light measuring human days is "of God".
I suggest that the visual pun justifies the presence ...
9
It's hard to tell for sure from the image, but couldn't that just be the stroke of an A, with the rest faded or somehow gone missing?
There is a word Umbri, but it has to do with the ancient people by that name. Moreover, the distance between the R and the I is too great for it to be one word, yet just room enough for the rest of the letter.
Agnes' ...
7
I think your translation is spot on. The way I read it, I would parse the words like so:
"The famous Lacer (nobilis Lacer) with divine art (divina arte) made the bridge (fecit pontem) to last into the ages (mansurum in saecula) of the everlasting world (perpetui mundi)."
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