V 200. Syuren fortress.Epitaph of Eirene and John (?), 1392–1491 C.E.

Monument

Type

Wall block. 

Material

Limestone. 

Dimensions (cm)

H.23.0, W.26.0, Th.unknown.

Additional description

Inset panel (Depth 0.5) with relief cross. The surface is badly weathered. 

Place of Origin

Syuren fortress. 

Find place

Syuren fortress. 

Find context

Wall, north curtain wall, inner face, to the right of the postern. 

Find circumstances

Before 1896, survey of Yu.A. Kulakovsky. 

Modern location

In situ. 

Institution and inventory

In situ, no inventory number. 

Autopsy

September 2004, September 2006, September 2008. 

Epigraphic field 1

Position

In corners between the arms of the cross. 

Lettering

Lapidary. 

Letterheights (cm)

1.0.

Text 1

Category

Demonstrative. 

Date

1392–1491 C.E. 

Dating criteria

Explicit date. 

Editions

L1. Latyshev1896, 126–127, № 50а. 

Edition

Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς [Χ(ριστὸ)ς]
νικ[ᾷ].

Diplomatic

ΙΣ[...]
ΝΙΚ[.]

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><expan><abbr>Ἰ</abbr><ex>ησοῦ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan> 
       <supplied reason="lost"><expan><abbr>Χ</abbr><ex>ριστὸ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan></supplied>
      <lb n="2"/>νικ<supplied reason="lost">ᾷ</supplied>.
      </ab>
   </div>

Translation

Jesus Christ is victorious.

 

Commentary

Latyshev published the inscription relying on an estampage made by Kulakovsky.

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

 

Epigraphic field 2

Position

To the right of the cross. 

Lettering

Lapidary; elongated letters. И-shaped eta, mu with Y-shaped middle. Ligature: omicron-upsilon. 

Letterheights (cm)

3.0.

Text 2

Category

Epitaph. 

Date

1392–1491 C.E. 

Dating criteria

Explicit date. 

Editions

L1. Latyshev1896, 127, № 50а. 

Edition

+ Ἐκοιμήθη ἡ
[δούλη] τοῦ θ(εο)ῦ Ε(ἰ)ρ(ή)ν(η?)
[---] μ[ν]υ̣σ̣τὴρ Ἰω(άννης).
Ἐκ[οιμήθη] β̣ε̣βιομέ-
5[νη ἔτη ..], μηνὶ
Ἀπ̣ρ[ιλίῳ] εἰς τὰ
[..], [ἔτο]υς ςϠ[..]´

Diplomatic

+ΕΚΟΙΜΗΘΗΗ
[.....]ΤΟΥΘΥΕΡΝ
[---]Μ[.]..ΤΗΡΙΩ
ΕΚ[......]..ΒΙΟΜΕ
5[.....··]ΜΗΝΙ
Α.Ρ[....]ΕΙΣΤΑ
[··...]ΥΣΣϠ[··]

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><g ref="#stauros"/> Ἐκοιμήθη ἡ
      <lb n="2"/><supplied reason="lost">δούλη</supplied> τοῦ 
       <roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr>ῦ</abbr></expan></roleName> 
       <expan><abbr>Ε</abbr><ex>ἰ</ex><abbr>ρ</abbr><ex>ή</ex><abbr>ν</abbr><ex cert="low">η</ex></expan>
      <lb n="3"/><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/> μ<supplied reason="lost">ν</supplied><unclear>υσ</unclear>τὴρ <expan><abbr>Ἰω</abbr><ex>άννης</ex></expan>.
      <lb n="4"/>Ἐκ<supplied reason="lost">οιμήθη</supplied> <unclear>βε</unclear>βιομέ<lb n="5" break="no"/><supplied reason="lost">νη</supplied> <supplied reason="lost">ἔτη</supplied> <gap reason="lost" quantity="2" unit="character"/>, <date>μηνὶ
      <lb n="6"/><rs type="month" ref="apr">Ἀ<unclear>π</unclear>ρ<supplied reason="lost">ιλίῳ</supplied></rs> εἰς τὰ
      <lb n="7"/><gap reason="lost" quantity="2" unit="character"/>, <supplied reason="lost">ἔτο</supplied>υς <num value="69">ςϠ<gap reason="lost" quantity="2" unit="character"/></num> </date>
      </ab>
   </div>
 
Apparatus criticus

2-7: Ε(ἰρήνη ?) ... ἔτο]υςLatyshev
7: ς...´Latyshev

Translation

Fell asleep: [a servant] of God, Eirene (?)... groom John. Fell [asleep], having lived... years, ... of April, 69[..] year.

 

Commentary

1–2. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.F.e.

2. The particular abbreviation of the name Eirene is usual; in Crimea, this name is also attested in V 124.

3. On the name John, see commentary to V 108.

3-5. I am not aware of this formula being otherwise used on Byzantine tombstones.

 

Images

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