Translation Help Needed!

[Geologyhound]

I couldn’t make it by the old house site (Targets of Opportunity …) as the crew was working, so I diverted to another site where I have found several coins from the 1800s. I had high hopes for the penny, as it was in the center of a roughly 4 x 4 depression in the woods. Unfortunately, it’s just a modern memorial. However, the piece of printing plate has me interested.  I don’t know if it’s German, Hungarian, Turkish or something else.  All those languages use umlauts. However, some of the letters seem to have a little drop squiggle, which may indicate Turkish? If anyone could translate part of this for me, I would greatly appreciate it! I have reversed the image so it can be read straight. Thank you!

[JCR]

Interesting. Would an app like Google Lens be of use?

[F350Platinum]

Looks like German to me. 🤔 Cool! 👍

[Rivers rat]

Photoshop + AI:

 

Language & type

Medieval Latin

Almost certainly a building or commemorative inscription, probably church-related

Heavy use of medieval abbreviations and ligatures

More clearly readable elements

Across the middle lines, I can now read with reasonable confidence:

“facta sunt” → “were made”

“anno domini” → “in the year of the Lord”

“ecclesie” / “ecclesiae” → “of the church”

“sancti” / “sancte” → “of Saint …”

“hoc opus” → “this work”

“per” → “by”

These appear in a very standard medieval formula.

Probable Latin reconstruction (approximate)

⚠️ This is not an exact transcription, but a scholarly reconstruction based on visible text and standard phrasing:

Hoc opus factum est anno Domini [—],
pro ecclesia sancti [—],
per [—].

English translation (best-supported meaning)

“This work was made in the year of the Lord [year],
for the church of Saint [name],
by [person or persons].”

The year, saint’s name, and builder/donor are still too damaged to read with confidence, but the structure is now quite clear.

Why this matters

This kind of inscription is typically:

A foundation stone

A brick or plaque marking construction or renovation

Often dated between 12th–15th century, based on letter style and formula

 

[Rivers rat]

But obviously not that old 🙂 look german to me as well

RR

[Rivers rat]

[locator]

Hi @Geologyhound.

@F350Platinum and @Rivers rat are correct. Looks german to me, too.

The upper row says: "im Laufe des Zuges vier oder fünf"

Middle row says: "daß aber nach sorgfältiger"

Lower row says: "während des Zuges mit"

Sorry, I cann't read the whole lettering. But the whole seems to be german and the used font seems to be equal to old english.

Hope that helps a little. It may be that if you rub the letters onto paper, like in CSI, the whole thing is easier to read.

BTW great find. Congrats.👍😎

[F350Platinum]

This is a bit off the wall, but...

I did a little AI digging and found those three sentences in Ostthrakien Tabula Imperii Byzantini 12 by Andreas Külzer.

It's a discussion about the geography in Thrace 🤪?

Upper row: "in the course of the move/train four or five"

Middle row: "but that after careful"

Lower row: "during the move/train with" 

Abstract

"The 12th volume of Tabula Imperii Byzantini deals with the historical geography of Eastern Thrace in Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Being the European hinterland of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine empire for more than thousand years, the region was one of the most significant landscapes in the Eastern Mediterranean. Bordering on the Aegean in the west, the Sea of Marmara in the south and the Black Sea in the east, the area is exposed to different climatic influences and shows a notable regional variety."

What's it's doing in your neck of the woods is beyond me 🤔 thanks @locator! 🏆

Oddly enough I've been in that part of the world too 😎

[Zincoln]

My german is very rusty, but I believe the top row was 'Im Zaufe das Zuges bier ober funf'.  The context may change this, but it's talking about a train ride and beer served over five (after 5, more than 5....not sure).  Multiple references to the train and beer.  May be a song....a funny story....or even a warning of sorts.