V 91. Cherson. Graffiti on the walls of a cistern, late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E.

Monument

Type

Wall. 

Material

Plaster. 

Additional description

Letters are partially erased and chipped. 

Place of Origin

Cherson. 

Find place

Sevastopol (Chersonesos). 

Find context

Block VII, cistern. 

Find circumstances

2002, excavations of S.G. Ryzhov and A.B. Biernacki. 

Modern location

In situ. 

Institution and inventory

In situ, no inventory number. 

Autopsy

August 2002. 

Epigraphic field 1

Position

Southwest wall. 

Lettering

Graffiti. Uncial, mostly leaning to the right. Alpha with a loop, beta with bottom underline, horizontal of gamma accentuated with serif, epsilon with varying degree of roundedness, mu sometimes with a break between halves, omega in the shape of two joined pointy ovals, У-shaped upsilon, angular phi; abbreviation marks.  

Letterheights (cm)

0.5–5.

Text 1

Category

Commemorative Inscription. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

Unpublished. 

Edition

Μηχάλη[ς]
ν̣έος

Diplomatic

ΜΗΧΑΛΗ[.]
.ΕΟΣ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/>Μηχάλη<supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied>
      <lb n="2"/><unclear>ν</unclear>έος
      </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

Michales, the younger.

 

Commentary

The cistern, which had been discovered in the summer of 2002, was filled in the following autumn. For this reason, I had an opportunity to inspect the inscriptions in situ only during two short visits in the summer of 2002, when I could take neither measurements nor photographs. During those visits, 14 texts were identified on the walls of the cistern, not counting separately inscribed letters. In her publication, А. Brzóstkowska (2006) did not mention inscriptions 1, 4, 7 and 13. In addition, she did not offer critical editions for any of them, instead providing diplomatic transcriptions and translations; in rare cases, where she attempts to provide a reading, we find mistakes (e.g., ζώντα (Brzóstkowska 2006, 56)).

All inscribed texts belong to the short period during which the cistern functioned as a prison (end of the Хth – 1st half of the XIth century). Objections to this interpretation of the cistern's function (Sorochan 2008) are met by Texts 10 and especially 2. Most texts are short graffiti: names (Texts 1, 3, 4, 7; the range of names is typically Christian), invocations of God such as "Lord, help" (Texts 9, 11, 13) and the formula "Jesus Christ is victorious" as a heading to the drawings of crosses (Texts 6, 13). The meaning of Text 12 is unclear. Only Texts 2, 8, 10 and 14 are of some length.

2. The epithet νέος, accompanying the graffito of the author, can have several possible meanings: the younger (by contrast to some other Michales who was older) or the new (in the sense of "newly arrived").

 

Epigraphic field 2

Position

To the right of Text 1. H. 26.5, W. 24.0

Lettering

See field 1. 

Text 2

Category

Draft of a letter. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

L1. Brzóstkowska 2006, 56. 

Edition

Ὦ ἔρανε, δεηθέντες σου,
πηστ(οῦ) διφ[έ]νσορος
Σεβεσ(τιανοῦ?) [Μ]ανιάκου
ἐναγόμε(θα) τοῦ
5τὰ ἔρημα,
Μεσεβρηανὺ Θω-
μ[ᾶ]ς, Σωφρέβις,
Τεγηαλμαγε,
Σουγηαλμαγε.

Diplomatic

ΩΕΡΑΝΕΔΕΗΘΕΝΤΕΣΣΟΥ
ΠΗΣΤΔΙΦ[.]ΝΣΟΡΟΣ
ΣΕΒΕΣ[.]ΑΝΙΑΚΟΥ
ΕΝΑΓΟΜΕΤΟΥ
5ΤΑΕΡΗΜΑ
ΜΕΣΕΒΡΗΑΝΥΘΩ
Μ[.]ΣΣΩΦΡΕΒΙΣ
ΤΕΓΗΑΛΜΑΓΕ
ΣΟΥΓΗΑΛΜΑΓΕ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/>Ὦ ἔρανε, δεηθέντες σου,
      <lb n="2"/><expan><abbr>πηστ</abbr><ex>οῦ</ex></expan> διφ<supplied reason="lost">έ</supplied>νσορος
      <lb n="3"/><expan><abbr>Σεβεσ</abbr><ex cert="low">τιανοῦ</ex></expan>
      <supplied reason="lost">Μ</supplied>ανιάκου
      <lb n="4"/><expan><abbr>ἐναγόμε</abbr><ex>θα</ex></expan> τοῦ
      <lb n="5"/>τὰ ἔρημα,
      <lb n="6"/>Μεσεβρηανὺ Θω
      <lb n="7" break="no"/>μ<supplied reason="lost">ᾶ</supplied>ς, Σωφρέβις,
      <lb n="8"/>Τεγηαλμαγε,
      <lb n="9"/>Σουγηαλμαγε.
      </ab>
   </div> 
 
Apparatus criticus

1: WΕΡΜΗΛΙ[..]ΗΗΕΣ Brzóstkowska
2: ΜΗΣΓΛ + [...]ΣΦΡ Brzóstkowska
3: ΣΕΡ[...]ΑΜ Α[...] Brzóstkowska
4: [........]ΜΑ Brzóstkowska
5: [......]ΜΑ Brzóstkowska
6: Μ[.]ΣΟ Brzóstkowska
7: ΣΦΡ[...]ΙΣ Brzóstkowska
8: ΤΟΓΗΑΛΜΑΓЬ Brzóstkowska
9: ΣΟΥΓΗΑΛΜΑΓЬ Brzóstkowska

Translation

Oh our voucher, we who are imploring you, our true defensor Sebastianos (?) [M]aniakos, are accused of..., deserted places, Mesebrians Thomas, Sophrebis, Tegealmage, Sougealmage.

 

Commentary

Brzóstkowska left Text 2 without translation, but remarked on the mostly Greek letters of the text, with a possible admixture of Cyrillic at the end of lines 8 and 9. Indeed, the text is full of difficulties: lines 5 and 6 are damaged by another graffito, and some words are abbreviated. This has to do with the nature of the text, which appears to be a draft of a letter that was supposed to be copied onto a different writing stock.

The letter is addressed to a Byzantine official called defensor who represents the noble family of Maniakoi, well known in the early XIth century (see PMBZ II # 22514, 22562). The reason for writing this letter appears to have been some accusation of a crime brought against its authors, possibly connected with some remote or deserted places (?), and due to which accusation they must have ended up in a Chersonian prison. The epithets applied to the addressee suggest his close connection with the senders; it is possible that the letter was to be sent to Constantinople or to Cherson where the presence of an ekdikos-defensor is attested.

Four Mesembrians appear as authors of the letter (we should note that this city ethnic seems to be inscribed by a different and less literate hand than the rest of the text), that is, residents of Mesembria (modern Nessebar in Bulgaria), of whom only the first bears a common Christian name Thomas, while other names are non-Greek and non-Christian. The name Sophrebis can be compared with the modern Adygean name Soferbiy. The last two names share the second compound element –almage, which is a cognate of widely attested Turkic names that start with Alma- and can be compared with the name Almaji (Raszonyi 52). The first element Tegi- is also known in Turkic names (Raszonyi 727), while the element Sugi- has no clear parallel. The similarity of the two names possibly suggests that their owners were brothers.

 

Images

Epigraphic field 3

Position

To the right of Text 2. H. 3.0, W. 17.5

Lettering

See field 1. 

Text 3

Category

Commemorative inscription. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

L1. Brzóstkowska 2006, 56. 

Edition

Ἐ[κ]δε[ι]μή[α]
Νηκόλα,
Γεό<ρ>γι{σ}ο[υ],
Μηχάλη.

3: orig. ΓΕΟΓΙΟ

Diplomatic

Ε[.]ΔΕ[.]ΜΗ[.]
ΝΗΚΟΛΑ
ΓΕΟΓΙΣΟ[.]
ΜΗΧΑΛΗ

3: orig. ΓΕΟΓΙΟ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="3">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/>Ἐ<supplied reason="lost">κ</supplied>δε<supplied reason="lost">ι</supplied>μή<supplied reason="lost">α</supplied>
      <lb n="2"/>Νηκόλα,
      <lb n="3"/>Γεό<supplied reason="omitted">ρ</supplied>γι<surplus>σ</surplus>ο<supplied reason="lost">υ</supplied>,
      <lb n="4"/>Μηχάλη.
      </ab>
   </div> 
 
Apparatus criticus

1: .]ΜΗ Brzóstkowska
3: Νι]κόλα[ος Brzóstkowska; Γεό<ρ>γη<ος> Brzóstkowska
4: Μηχα<ή>λ Brzóstkowska

Translation

Departure of Nicholas, George, Michales.

 

Commentary

The term ἐκδημία can signify "departure" in the sense of release from prison, or death.

 

Images

Epigraphic field 4

Position

To the right of Text 3. 

Lettering

See field 1. 

Text 4

Category

Commemorative inscription. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

Unpublished. 

Edition

Ἐγὸ Κόσ(τας)(?).

Diplomatic

ΕΓΟΚΟΣ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="4">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/>Ἐγὸ <expan cert="low"><abbr>Κόσ</abbr><ex>τας</ex></expan>.
      </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

I, Kos(tas?).

 

Commentary

Kostas, as a form of the name Constantine, is also attested in V 124.

 

Images

Epigraphic field 5

Position

Northwest wall. H. 11.0, W. 9.5

Lettering

See field 1. 

Text 5

Category

Invocative inscription. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

L1. Brzóstkowska 2006, 59. 

Edition

Κύρυε, βο[ήθει]
το͂ δούλο [σου]
Νηκόλᾳ.

Diplomatic

ΚΥΡΥΕΒΟ[....]
ΤΟΔΟΥΛΟ[...]
ΝΗΚΟΛΑ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="5">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><roleName>Κύρυε</roleName>, βο<supplied reason="lost">ήθει</supplied>
      <lb n="2"/>το͂ δούλο <supplied reason="lost">σου</supplied>
      <lb n="3"/>Νηκόλᾳ.
      </ab>
   </div> 
 
Apparatus criticus

1-2: βο|ήθη [δούλο] συ + Brzóstkowska
3: Νικολά[ο Brzóstkowska

Translation

Lord, help your servant Nicholas.

 

Commentary

1–2. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.E.a. 3. The name Nicholas is known in Cherson: V 4, V 48, V 67, V 82.2.

 

Images

Epigraphic field 6

Position

To the right of Text 5. H. 6.0, W. 5.0

Lettering

See field 1. 

Text 6

Category

Demonstrative inscription. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

L1. Brzóstkowska 2006, 62. 

Edition

Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστὸ)ς
νηκᾷ.

Diplomatic

ΙΣΧΣ
ΝΗΚΑ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="6">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><expan><abbr>Ἰ</abbr><ex>ησοῦ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan> <expan><abbr>Χ</abbr><ex>ριστὸ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan>
      <lb n="2"/>νηκᾷ.
      </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

J(esus) Ch(rist) is victorious.

 

Commentary

On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.C.e.

 

Images

Epigraphic field 7

Position

To the right of Text 6. 

Lettering

See field 1. 

Text 7

Category

Commemorative inscription. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

L1. ined. 

Edition

Νηκόλα.

Diplomatic

ΝΗΚΟΛΑ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="7">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/>Νηκόλα.
      </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

Of Nicholas.

 

Commentary

See commentary to Text 5.

 

Epigraphic field 8

Position

To the right of Text 7. H. 12.0, W. 40.0

Lettering

See field 1. 

Text 8

Category

Draft of an epigram. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

L1. ined. 

Edition

+ Τοῦτ[ο]. Ὁ τόπος. Τὸν
ζῶντα. Ὁ τάφος.

Diplomatic

+ΤΟΥΤ[.]ΟΤΟΠΟΣΤΟΝ
ΖΩΝΤΑΟΤΑΦΟΣ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="8">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><g ref="#stauros"/> Τοῦτ<supplied reason="lost">ο</supplied>.
      Ὁ τόπος. Τὸν
      <lb n="2"/>ζῶντα. Ὁ τάφος. 
      </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

This. The place. The living. The grave.

 

Commentary

See commentary to Text 10.

 

Images

Epigraphic field 9

Position

To the right of Text 8. 

Lettering

See epigraphic field 1. 

Text 9

Category

Invocative inscription. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

L1. ined. 

Edition

Κ(ύρι)ε, βοήθη.

Diplomatic

ΚΕΒΟΗΘΗ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="9">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><roleName><expan><abbr>Κ</abbr><ex>ύρι</ex><abbr>ε</abbr></expan></roleName>, βοήθη.
      </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

Lord, help.

 

Commentary

On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.E.a.

 

Epigraphic field 10

Position

To the right of Text 9. H. 20.0, W. 32.0

Lettering

See epigraphic field 1. 

Text 10

Category

Epigram. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

L1. Brzóstkowska 2006, 56-57; 1.1. Rhoby 2014, 751-752. 

Edition

Τοῦτο [ἰ]ς π[ρ]οσόδην [---]
Τὸν ζο͂ντα εἰς τὴν [γῆν ---]
ὁ τάφος τὸν φήλον [---]·
ὁ δοκυμαστὴς κὲ τ[---]
5ἐχθρο͂ν ἡ τέλψης ἣ σπ[---]
σπατάλην κὲ χαρὰν [---]
παντὴ φηλο͂ σου ν[---].

Diplomatic

ΤΟΥΤΟ[.]ΣΠ[.]ΟΣΟΔΗΝ[---]
ΤΟΝΖΟΝΤΑΕΙΣΤΗΝ[...---]
ΟΤΑΦΟΣΤΟΝΦΗΛΟΝ[---]
ΟΔΟΚΥΜΑΣΤΗΣΚΕΤ[---]
5ΕΧΘΡΟΝΗΤΕΛΨΗΣΗΣΠ[---]
ΣΠΑΤΑΛΗΝΚΕΧΑΡΑΝ[---]
ΠΑΝΤΗΦΗΛΟΣΟΥΝ[---]

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="10">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/>Τοῦτο <supplied reason="lost">ἰ</supplied>ς π<supplied reason="lost">ρ</supplied>οσόδην <gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
      <lb n="2"/>Τὸν ζο͂ντα εἰς τὴν <supplied reason="lost">γῆν</supplied> <gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
      <lb n="3"/>ὁ τάφος τὸν φήλον <gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>·
      <lb n="4"/>ὁ δοκυμαστὴς κὲ τ<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
      <lb n="5"/>ἐχθρο͂ν ἡ τέλψης ἣ <w part="I">σπ</w><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
      <lb n="6"/>σπατάλην κὲ χαρὰν <gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
      <lb n="7"/>παντὴ φηλο͂ σου <w part="I">ν</w><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>.
      </ab>
   </div> 
 
Apparatus criticus

1: ΟΣ ᾠδήν Brzóstkowska; π[ρ]οσoδήν Rhoby
3: τῶν φίλων Rhoby
4: τ...: ΤΑ Brzóstkowska; τ(ῶν) Rhoby
5: ἐχθρὸν ἢ Brzóstkowska; ΗΣ[... Brzóstkowska; είς dubitanter Rhoby
7: ν[---]: om. Rhoby

Translation

This is for the song. A living man into [the earth (?)...] The grave [took?] the friend... The investigator and... Enemy's pleasure, which... Triumph and joy... For your every friend...

 

Commentary

Text 8 represents a draft of the first words from Text 10: for some reason, the line which starts with Ὁ τόπος was omitted in the latter. Brzóstkowska rightly noted that the damage in the right half of Text 10 does not allow us to determine the length of lines with certainty. Nevertheless it is clear from what remains that the text was a dodekasyllabic poem with a caesura after the third foot and that it was preceded by a heading (line 1). The content suggests two four-line stanzas, and in the first stanza, the first line beginning with Ὁ τόπος was omitted. The first half of the poem tells of a friend (the poet?) who finds himself underground (?) and in the hands of a prosecutor, as if a living man in a grave. In the second half of the poem the protagonist triumphs over his enemy. τέλψις is, without a doubt, a corruption of τέρψις. Rhoby's edition is based on my prelimiary edition of the text, so correspondences in our readings are not noted in the apparatus. The Austrian scholar did not, however, make a note of Text 8, nor of the broken lines in Text 10. He therefore restored a poem on the basis of the preserved words, in the process rejecting the existing line breaks and adding another hypothetically lost line after τέλψης. His amendation of π[ρ]οσόδην (i.e. προσόδιν/προσόδιον) to π[ρ]οσoδήν is also unjustified.

 

Images

Epigraphic field 11

Position

To the right of Text 10. 

Lettering

See epigraphic field 1. 

Text 11

Category

Invocative inscription. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

Unpublished. 

Edition

Κ(ύρι)ε, βοήθυ
Δ.

Diplomatic

ΚΕΒΟΗΘΥ
Δ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="11">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><roleName><expan><abbr>Κ</abbr><ex>ύρι</ex><abbr>ε</abbr></expan></roleName>, βοήθυ
      <lb n="2"/><orig>Δ</orig>.
      </ab>
   </div> 
 
Apparatus criticus

βοήθη Brzóstkowska 2006

Translation

Lord, help.

 

Commentary

On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.E.a.

 

Images

Epigraphic field 12

Position

To the right of Text 11. H. 2.0, W. 5.5

Lettering

See epigraphic field 1. 

Text 12

Category

Uncertain. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

L1. Brzóstkowska 2006. 

Edition

.ΒΕΩΣ.

Diplomatic

·ΒΕΩΣ·

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="12">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><gap reason="illegible" quantity="1" unit="character"/><orig>ΒΕΩΣ</orig><gap reason="illegible" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
      </ab>
   </div> 
 
Apparatus criticus

12: ... Brzóstkowska

Translation

...

 

Commentary

The meaning is unclear.

 

Images

Epigraphic field 13

Position

Northeast wall. 

Lettering

See epigraphic field 1. 

Text 13

Category

Demonstrative or Invocative acclamation. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

Unpublished. 

Edition

Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστὸ)ς
νηκᾷ.
Φο͂͂[ς].
Κύριε, βοήθι.

Diplomatic

ΙΣΧΣ
ΝΗΚΑ
ΦΟ[.]
ΚΥΡΙΕΒΟΗΘΙ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="13">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><expan><abbr>Ἰ</abbr><ex>ησοῦ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan> <expan><abbr>Χ</abbr><ex>ριστὸ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan>
      <lb n="2"/>νηκᾷ.
      <lb n="3"/>Φο͂͂<supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied>.
      <lb n="4"/><roleName>Κύριε</roleName>, βοήθι.
      </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

Jesus Christ is victorious. Light. Lord, help.

 

Commentary

On the formulae, see Introduction IV.3.C.e; IV.3.C.c; IV.3.E.a.

 

Images

Epigraphic field 14

Position

To the right of Text 13. H. 8.0, W. 8.0

Lettering

Minuscule nu. 

Text 14

Category

Invocative inscription. 

Date

Late X – 1st half of XIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Archaeological context, epigraphical context. 

Editions

Brzóstkowska 2006, 58. 

Edition

+ Κύρηε, ἐπό-
ρνοσα-
{α} ὧ̣δε
σ̣υ̣χνο͂ς
5ἀνδ-
ρῶν

Diplomatic

+ΚΥΡΗΕΕΠΟ
ΡΝΟΣΑ
Α.ΔΕ
..ΧΝΟΣ
5ΑΝΔ
ΡΩΝ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="14">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><g ref="#stauros"/> <roleName>Κύρηε</roleName>, ἐπό<lb n="2" break="no"/>ρνοσα
      <lb n="3" break="no"/><surplus>α</surplus> <unclear>ὧ</unclear>δε
      <lb n="4"/><unclear>συ</unclear>χνο͂ς
      <lb n="5"/>ἀνδ
     <lb n="6" break="no"/>ρῶν
      </ab>
   </div> 
 
Apparatus criticus

1: Θ(εο)ῦ ΣΟ[?] Brzóstkowska
2: ῥύ{ο}σα[ι Brzóstkowska
5: ἀ[πὶ] δε[οκοντον ? Brzóstkowska

Translation

Lord, here I often fornicated with men.

 

Commentary

Those under arrest in this Chersonian prison not only bemoaned their fate and challenged thier unlawful incarceration, but also apparently repented. This is indicated by Text 14, in which the author confesses of having had carnal relations "here," that is, apparently in Cherson. Lines 5-6 ("with men") were added by a different hand, crude and illiterate, and were probably meant to mock the author of lines 1-4.

 

Images

(cc) © 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
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