V 123. Kermenchik.Epitaph of Athanas, 1399–1400 C.E.

Monument

Type

Stele. 

Material

Limestone. 

Dimensions (cm)

H.136.5, W.46.0, Th.16.5.

Additional description

Stele with rounded top, crossweave design along the edges, ornamental cross in a circle, ornamental band across and a rectangular inset panel (37х13 cm) below. Broken on the top; the surface is chipped. 

Place of Origin

Kermenchik. 

Find place

Vysokoe. 

Find context

Yukhary-Kermenchik, house, fireplace. 

Find circumstances

Before 1915-1916, survey of G.L. Chukurov. 

Modern location

Unknown. 

Institution and inventory

Unknown. 

Autopsy

Non vidi. 

Epigraphic field

Position

Within the inset area. 

Lettering

Unknown. 

Letterheights (cm)

1.2–1.5.

Text

Category

Epitaph. 

Date

1399–1400 C.E. 

Dating criteria

Explicit date. 

Editions

L1. Latyshev1918, 39, № 8. 

Edition

+ Ἐκημύθ(η) ὡ δωῦλος τοῦ θ(εο)ῦ
τ[ε (καὶ?) πα]πᾶς Ἀθανὰ(ς) ΤΩΘ̣Ι
ἀπέ<θ>εντω vac. 3 litt. ἐπὴ
ἔτους͵ ςϠη´ .

3: orig. ΑΠΕΤΕΝΤΩ

Diplomatic

+ΕΚΗΜΥΘΩΔΩΥΛΟΣΤΟΥΘΥ
Τ[....]ΠΑΣΑΘΑΝΑΤΩ.Ι
ΑΠΕΤΕΝΤΩ      ΕΠΗ
ΕΤΟΥΣΣϠΗ

3: orig. ΑΠΕΤΕΝΤΩ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
   <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><g ref="#stauros"/> <expan><abbr>Ἐκημύθ</abbr><ex>η</ex></expan>
      ὡ δωῦλος τοῦ
      <roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr>ῦ</abbr></expan></roleName>
      <lb n="2"/>τ<supplied reason="lost">ε</supplied>
      <supplied reason="lost"><expan><ex cert="low">καὶ</ex></expan></supplied>
      <supplied reason="lost">πα</supplied>πᾶς
      <expan><abbr>Ἀθανὰ</abbr><ex>ς</ex></expan> <orig>ΤΩ<unclear>Θ</unclear>Ι</orig>
      <lb n="3"/><app type="alternative"><lem>ἀπέ<choice><sic>τ</sic><corr>θ</corr></choice>εντω</lem></app>
      <space quantity="3" unit="character"/> <date>ἐπὴ
      <lb n="4"/>ἔτους<num value="6908"> ςϠη</num></date>
      . 
   </ab>
   </div>
 
Apparatus criticus

2: π[α]πᾶς Ἀθανα[σιοςLatyshev
3: ἀπέ[αν]εν (?)Latyshev; ΕΠΗLatyshev

Translation

Fell asleep: a servant of God and priest Athanas... They laid him to rest in the year 6908.

 

Commentary

Because plates for Latyshev's article had not been published, and the stone disappeared, our reconstruction of this inscription remains rather tentative.

1. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.F.e.

2. According to Latyshev, in a lacuna, after tau at the start of line 2, there was space for 2 or 3 letters, which could be interpreted as a patronymic or nickname of the deceased. The name Athanasios is known in Crimea in V 259.

3. The formula "they laid him" is unique in Christian epigraphy: the closest parallel is ἀπέθετ̣ο̣ ὑπὲρ μνήμ(η)ς αὐτο̣[ῦ] in SEG 37.1428 (Apamea, 534 C.E.). The formula "he was laid" is attested: TAM III 623 (Termessos in Pisidia).

3-4. The dating formula ἐπὶ ἔτους is characteristic of inscriptions from Kermenchik (for more detail, see Introduction III.1.C.b).

 

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