The Interpretative Limits of the Southwestern Script

The corpus of the Southwestern script consists of around 90 so-called “stones” or “stelae”. In the main, the inscriptions come from modern-day southern Portugal, particularly the regions of Baixo Alentejo and Algarve. A small number have been found in Spain, four in western Andalusia and four in the Upper Guadiana area. Because the Southwestern script at present cannot be considered fully deciphered, the appraisal of John Koch’s case that its language is Celtic must first of all begin with a review of his methodology for elucidating the writing system. Ultimately, however, I cannot but observe that the material seems too meager and too problematic to apply the comparative method conclusively.