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Latin inscription in a sundial

 
 
Reply Wed 17 May, 2017 03:07 pm
Hello!
I was wondering if anyone could help me translating a sentence written in a very old sundial painted in the walls of my school (the school was built in 1349). When we discovered it, there were some parts missing and I hoped someone here could guess what came before. [The missing parts are (...)]

(...)ol mea contegit? Imò
(...) umbra tuos.

It was eroded with the time and now no one knows what was originally written.
Maybe if anyone knows common mottos for ancient sundials we can find out.
The sundial only marks the hours corresponding to the school's schedule.

If it helps, the missing part has almost the same lenght as the visible words.

Thanks in advance,
Emily.
 
ossobucotemp
 
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Reply Wed 17 May, 2017 05:39 pm
@emily lestrande,
George may be able to help, but he's not here all day, be patient.
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George
 
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Reply Thu 18 May, 2017 05:58 am
@emily lestrande,
Emily,

Some questions:
* Are there only these two lines?
* Are you sure about "Imò"? Is there possibly anything immediately preceding or following it?
* Can you post a picture?

I have seen quite a few Latin sundial mottoes, but nothing that fits this.

I'll poke around a bit and be back later.

George
Walter Hinteler
 
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Reply Thu 18 May, 2017 06:14 am
@George,
(And suddenly I'm reminded of therm litotes - horas non numero nisi serenas)
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emily lestrande
 
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Reply Thu 18 May, 2017 06:58 am
@George,
Thanks for your answer George.
Here's a picture of the sundial:

http://i.imgur.com/yQHNSVr.jpg%5B/img%5D

It looks like there are only two lines, and sadly that is the best picture I have, I took it from the building next to it. We can't access the place due to the usual landslides.
Emily.
0 Replies
 
emily lestrande
 
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Reply Thu 18 May, 2017 07:01 am
@emily lestrande,
(Please excuse my English, it's not my first language).
George
 
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Reply Thu 18 May, 2017 07:04 am
@emily lestrande,
Thank you.
Your English is very good!
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George
 
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Reply Fri 19 May, 2017 05:56 am
I was not able to find an answer for you.

Here's what I can tell you:

(...)ol --> I assume the full word would be sol (sun)

mea --> my (but it does not modify sol)

contegit --> covers

Imò --> It is an abbreviation, but I do not know what
it is an abbreviation of.

umbra --> shadow

tuos --> your (but it does not modify umbra)

I wish you good luck in solving this mystery.
emily lestrande
 
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Reply Fri 19 May, 2017 04:16 pm
@George,
Thank you for your time, I will keep investigating, I'll let you know if I find out Smile
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