Identification and classification of the various languages may contribute to the identification of the peoples of ancient Italy and their connexions, while the best evidence for the indigenous institutions of these peoples is often to be found in the inscriptions. The study of these dead languages through inscriptions necessarily involves consideration of the alphabets in which the inscriptions are written, and the diffusion of writing in itself constitutes an important part of the cultural history of early Italy. There are some 10,000 Etruscan inscriptions, the earliest dated to the beginning of the seventh century, the most recent to the end of the first century. Contact with the Etruscans brought literacy to the peoples of northern Italy, whose languages are known from inscriptions written in the so called north Etruscan alphabets. The principal remains of Umbrian are the Iguvine Tables, seven bronze tablets containing over 4,000 words.
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