Temnić Inscription from Balkan-Slavic and Old Russian Perspectives

The Temnić inscription is the oldest surviving written record of Slavic discovered on territory Serbia (the region Temnić), however, original provenance unknown. tablet with (ca. 20 x cm) was made limestone absent from area where it found, and thus plate could have been brought any other region. dates to end 10th-11th centuries, while records Cyrillic script in Serbia, Bosnia Croatia are at least one a half century younger, moreover, found north Serbian, Bosnian Croatian lands writing spread 11th–12th century. linguistic peculiarities too archaic comparison Church Glagolitic manuscripts Macedonian, east Serbian or provenance: shows correct use letters for both jer-vowels ы–и as well, which implies that hard soft consonants did not yet merge dialect unknown scribe. traits higher varieties Slavic: presents jotized letters, special sign palatal consonant ĺ (ꙥ), stop points middle lines between word forms share common accent. These features epigraphic provenance, (ꙥ) appears single Old Bulgarian manuscript numerous sources go back archetypes. While provides no witness origin inscription, its perfectly correspond inscriptions East goes sources. Consequently, data testify inscription. Besides author discusses regressive accommodation l after k remained south historical phonetics by far. this phenomenon along Russian manuscripts. Finally, article new interpretation three obscure passages reliable transcription.