V 42. Cherson.Inscribed wall block, XIIth century C.E.

Monument

Type

Wall block. 

Material

Inkerman limestone. 

Dimensions (cm)

H.31.0, W.23.0, Th.22.0.

Additional description

On the front is a relief foliate cross, with teardrops and discs at the ends of flaring arms. The end of the right arm is chipped. 

Place of Origin

Cherson. 

Find place

Sevastopol (Chersonesos). 

Find context

Unknown. 

Find circumstances

Before 1888. 

Modern location

Sevastopol, Crimea. 

Institution and inventory

National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, 3494. 

Autopsy

May 1999, August 2001, September 2002, September 2003, September 2004, September 2005, September 2006, September 2007. 

Epigraphic field 1

Position

On the discs at the ends of arms (counter clockwise). 

Lettering

See below. 

Letterheights (cm)

2.0.

Text 1

Category

Demonstrative. 

Date

XIIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Palaeography. 

Editions

L1. Latyshev1908, 33–34, № 29; 2. Shangin1938, 84, № 13. 

Edition

Φ(ῶς)
Χ(ριστοῦ)
φ(αίνει)
[π](ᾶσιν).

Diplomatic

Φ
Χ
Φ
[.]

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><expan><abbr>Φ</abbr><ex>ῶς</ex></expan>
      <lb n="2"/><expan><abbr>Χ</abbr><ex>ριστοῦ</ex></expan>
      <lb n="3"/><expan><abbr>φ</abbr><ex>αίνει</ex></expan>
      <lb n="4"/><expan><abbr><supplied reason="lost">π</supplied></abbr><ex>ᾶσιν</ex></expan>.
      </ab>
   </div>
 
Apparatus criticus

3-4: φ(ωτίζει) π(άντας)Shangin

Translation

The Light of Christ shines [for all].

 

Commentary

The stone was part of the exhibition 'Byzantine Chersonesos' (Moscow, 1991; Chichurov 1991, 82, no. 81). The shape of the cross resembles that from a panel found in Quarter XXV of Chersonesos (Belov 1941, 243, drawing 69).

On the formula, see IV.3.C.a.

 

Images

 Photograph of face (from ??)

Epigraphic field 2

Position

On either side of the top arm of the cross. 

Lettering

Lapidary. Minuscule zeta, lambda with projecting right hasta, У-shaped upslion, chi with curved right diagonal. 

Letterheights (cm)

1.0–3.0.

Text 2

Category

Apotropaic inscription. 

Date

XIIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Palaeography. 

Editions

L1. Shangin1938, 84, № 13. 

Edition

Φεῦγε, ζῆλ[ε].
Χ(ριστό)ς σε δηόχν(ει).

Diplomatic

ΦΕΥΓΕΖΗΛ[.]
ΧΣΣΕΔΗΟΧΝ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/>Φεῦγε, ζῆλ<supplied reason="lost">ε</supplied>.
      <lb n="2"/><expan><abbr>Χ</abbr><ex>ριστό</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan> σε <expan><abbr>δηόχν</abbr><ex>ει</ex></expan>.
      </ab>
   </div>
 
Apparatus criticus

2: δηόχν[ει]Shangin

Translation

Flee, envy, Christ chases you away.

 

Commentary

In Latyshev's archive (Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg Branch, f. 110, op. 1, d. 18, Л. 8), I found a draft of an article which shows his attempts to read the second inscription.

The inscription is most definitely apotropaic in function. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.D.a. Nothing points to the funerary function, as had been suggested by Shangin 1938.

2. The form διώχνω is attested in the Byzantine period, e.g., in the Alexander romance (recensions F, E, V, K, and φ).

 

(cc)© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
You may download this inscription in EpiDoc XML. (This file should validate to theEpiDoc schema.)