V 1. Belgorod.Building inscription, 1451–1452 C.E.
Monument
Type
Panel.
Material
White marble (?).
Additional description
Inset panel with two coats of arms (in relief?). Condition unknown.
Place of Origin
Belgorod.
Find place
Belgorod-Dnestrovsky.
Find context
Fortress, crosswall, watch tower opposite the mosque, in the wall.
Find circumstances
1840s, survey of N.N. Murzakevich.
Modern location
Unknown.
Institution and inventory
Unknown.
Autopsy
Non vidi.
Epigraphic field
Position
Within inset area.
Lettering
Lapidary; relief, elongated, ornate letters. Ligatures, abbreviations.
Text
Category
Building inscription.
Date
1451–1452 C.E.
Dating criteria
Epigraphical context.
Editions
L1. Murzakevich1850, 481; 1.1. Latyshev1896, 2, № 2; 1.1.1. Millet1900; 1.2. Bogdan1908, 324; 1.3. Pippidi1998; 1.4. Shlapak2000; 1.5. Rhoby2014, 749–751.
<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/><date><num value="6960">ςϠξ</num>, <g ref="#stauros"/>
<lb n="2"/><expan><abbr>ἰνδ</abbr><ex>ικτιῶνος</ex></expan>
<app type="alternative"><lem><num value="13">ιγ</num></lem><rdg><num value="13">ι<surplus>γ</surplus></num></rdg></app></date>.
<lb n="3"/>Τέλος <expan><abbr>ἔλα</abbr><ex>βε</ex></expan>
βιηθείᾳ
τὸ <expan><ex>τ</ex><abbr>ῆχος</abbr></expan>.
<lb n="4"/><expan><abbr>Ἔλθῃ</abbr><ex>ς</ex></expan> βοηθός,
<expan><abbr>Χ</abbr><ex>ριστ</ex><abbr>έ</abbr></expan>,
τῷ
ποιηκότι.
<date>Ἔτι <num value="6960">ςϠξ</num></date>.
</ab>
</div>Apparatus criticus
1-2: В лт ѕѯ іѡ(анн) ігуменьPippidi;
om. alii
1: ςϠξ´Shlapak
2: ٣١٢Shlapak
3:
ΘείαMurzakevich,Bogdan,Pippidi,Shlapak;
τόδ]εLatyshev;
(βο)ηθείᾳMillet;
ἡ θεία (?)Rhoby
4:
ἔλθη (ἡ χάρις)Murzakevich;
[Βοή]θη ? ὀLatyshev;
ἔλθῃςBogdan,Shlapak;
ἔλθ(ον)Pippidi;
ἐλθὲRhoby
;
βοηθὸς: om.Shlapak;
Ἰ(ησοῦ)ςMurzakevich,Latyshev,Iorga1899;
(ὁ) ἱερὸς ναὸςPippidi;
Χ(ριστο)ῦPippidi;
πεποιηκότιMurzakevich et alii;
? Κόστι Skrzynska;
πεντηκόστῃPippidi;
ποιηκότιRhoby;
Σταν add. Shlapak;
Ἔτει ςϠζ´ Skrzynska;
ἔτει ςϠξ´Pippidi,Shlapak
Translation
In the year 6960, in the 13th (or 10th) indiction. With the Lord's help, the wall was completed. Christ, come as a Helper, to the man who has built it. In the year 6960.
Commentary
The study history of the inscription can be found in Shlapak 2000. During my visit to Belgorod-Dnestrovsky in 1999, I was unable to find this inscription. My reading is based on the text of Murzakevich (see Voytsekhovsky 1972, 372, fig. 2) and is therefore rather hypothetical. N. Iorga's (1899, 99) translation is reflected in the apparatus, as well as the translation of E.Cz. Skrzynska published in Voytsekhovsky 1972.
1. Line 1 is apparently identical with the last word of Line 4, and its reconstruction is not in doubt.
2. Shlapak's proposal that we should read here the arabic numerals - Hijri year 1012 (1603 C.E.) - is not justified since the numbers are intelligible as Greek. The first letter sign of the line represents a conventional abbreviation of the word "indiction." The 13th indiction in the text is a mistake since the year 6960 since the Creation (1451-1452 C.E.) corresponds to the 10th indiction. It is possible that Murzakevich interpreted as gamma a random stroke or a late mark.
3-4. The textual reconstruction in these lines is rather hypothetical and for this reason I abstain from making historical comments. Rhoby, noting the metrical character of lines 2 and 3 (two dodecasyllabic lines), made a convincing restoration in the middle of line 2. It is worth remarking on the formulae, which have previously attracted little scholarly attention. The formula τέλος ἔλαβε with reference to a physical structure is attested in Shevchenko 1966, 264, № 17 (Sinai, XVIIIth century). The formula Ἔλθῃς βοηθός, Χ(ριστ)έ (line 4) is known from Byzantine lead seals (see, e.g., SEB 180, 1b).
For the archaeological and historical context of the architectural construction, see Bruyako, Sapozhnikov 2000.
Images
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
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