V 146. Laki (?).Epitaph of Mamtzi, 1361–1372 C.E.
Monument
Type
Stele.
Material
Limestone.
Dimensions (cm)
H.98.5, W.36.0, Th.20.0.
Additional description
Stele with triangular top. On the front - relief cross within inset panel, and below - inscribed inset panel with triangular top; zigzag ornament along the long sides. On the back - a string-course (H. 2cm). Additional ornaments on the sides and back of the stele.
Place of Origin
Laki (?).
Find place
Unknown.
Find context
Unknown.
Find circumstances
Unknown.
Modern location
Bakhchisaray, Crimea.
Institution and inventory
Bakhchisaray State Historical and Cultural Preserve, no inventory number.
Autopsy
September 2005.
Epigraphic field 1
Position
In corners between the arms of the cross.
Lettering
See below.
Letterheights (cm)
0.7–2.0
Text 1
Category
Demonstrative.
Date
1361–1372 C.E.
Dating criteria
Explicit date.
Editions
Unpublished.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/><expan><abbr>Ἰ</abbr><ex>ησοῦ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan> <expan><abbr><supplied reason="lost">Χ</supplied></abbr><ex>ριστὸ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan>
<lb n="2"/>νι<supplied reason="lost">κᾷ</supplied>.
</ab>
</div>
Translation
Jesus Christ is victorious.
Commentary
On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.C.e.
Epigraphic field 2
Position
Inset panel below the cross.
Lettering
Lapidary. Minuscule beta, zeta and lambda; mu with T-shaped crossbar, И-shaped nu, V-shaped upsilon, bowl-shaped omega. Ligature, superscript marks, abbreviations.
Letterheights (cm)
1.2.
Text 2
Category
Epitaph.
Date
1363–1364 C.E.
Dating criteria
Explicit date.
Editions
Unpublished.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/><g ref="#stauros"/> Ἐκοιμ<supplied reason="lost">ήθη</supplied>.
<lb n="2"/><space unit="line"/>
<lb n="3"/><g ref="#stauros"/> <expan><abbr>Ἐκοιμήθ</abbr><ex>η</ex></expan> ὡ <expan><abbr>δοῦλ</abbr><ex>ος</ex></expan>
<lb n="4"/>τοῦ <roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr>ῦ</abbr></expan></roleName> Μαμ<lb n="5" break="no"/>τζη, <date>ἔτι <num value="6872">ςω<lb n="6" break="no"/>οβ</num></date>.
</ab>
</div>
Translation
Fell asleep. Fell asleep: a servant of God, Mamtzi, in the year 6872.
Commentary
1. It is not entirely clear why the inscription remained unfinished. One possibility is that a space was deliberately left for one more name to be added. Marks to the left of the text are not letters.
2–3. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.F.e.
3–4. For the name Mamtizi, cf. V 45).
4-5 The last digit in the year date cannot be an upsilon because in the rest of the inscription upsilon is V-shaped. Most likely we have a singular example of the use of a minuscule beta in Mountainous Crimea.
The dating formula by ἔτει suggests that our inscription might have originated at Laki (cf. V 142, V 143). The latter is also close to our inscription in date - 1362 C.E.
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
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