V 204. Tepe-Kermen. Epitaph of Asklepios (or Alepios) and Eustathios, XIII–XVth centuries C.E.

Monument

Type

Wall. 

Material

Limestone. 

Dimensions (cm)

H. 19.5, W. 28.5.

Additional description

Flat niche below the arcosolium. The surface is chipped. 

Place of Origin

Tepe-Kermen. 

Find place

Tepe-Kermen. 

Find context

"Church with baptistery," south wall, western part, over the tomb. 

Find circumstances

1890, restoration works of I.L. Puzatov. 

Modern location

In situ. 

Institution and inventory

In situ, no inventory number. 

Autopsy

September 1999, September 2007. 

Epigraphic field

Position

On the front. 

Lettering

Lapidary; minuscule letters, filled in with ochre. Ligatures. 

Letterheights (cm)

1.2–2.2.

Text

Category

Epitaph. 

Date

XIII–XVth centuries C.E. 

Dating criteria

Palaeography. 

Editions

L1. Latyshev 1896, 60–61, № 51. 

Edition

+ Ὀρήχθι ὁ τά-
φος οὗτ[ος] ἀπὸ ἰ-
κήας μου μονῆς παρὰ
ἐμο(ῦ) Ἀ̣σ<κ>λη̣π(ί)ου resp. Ἀ̣{σ}λη̣π(ί)ου .
5Ἡ ἀρέοσις π[αρὰ] τοῦ
δούλου τοῦ θ(εο)ῦ Εὐστα-
θήου τοῦ ἐλαχοῦ συντ .-
. 5.ους.

4: orig.

Diplomatic

+ΟΡΗΧΘΙΟΤΑ
ΦΟΣΟΥΤ[..]ΑΠΟΙ
ΚΗΑΣΜΟΥΜΟΝΗΣΠΑΡΑ
ΕΜΟ.ΣΛ.ΠΟΥ
5ΗΑΡΕΟΣΙΣΠ[...]ΤΟΥ
ΔΟΥΛΟΥΤΟΥΘΥΕΥΣΤΑ
ΘΗΟΥΤΟΥΕΛΑΧΟΥΣΥΝΤ·
·····ΟΥΣ

4: orig.

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
   <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><g ref="#stauros"/> Ὀρήχθι ὁ τά<lb n="2" break="no"/>φος οὗτ<supplied reason="lost">ος</supplied> ἀπὸ ἰ<lb n="3" break="no"/>κήας μου μονῆς παρὰ
      <lb n="4"/><expan><abbr>ἐμο</abbr><ex>ῦ</ex></expan>
      <app type="alternative"><lem><expan><abbr><unclear>Ἀ</unclear>σ<supplied reason="omitted">κ</supplied>λ<unclear>η</unclear>π</abbr><ex>ί</ex><abbr>ου</abbr></expan></lem>
      <rdg><expan><abbr><unclear>Ἀ</unclear><surplus>σ</surplus>λ<unclear>η</unclear>π</abbr><ex>ί</ex><abbr>ου</abbr></expan></rdg></app>.
      <lb n="5"/>Ἡ ἀρέοσις π<supplied reason="lost">αρὰ</supplied> τοῦ
      <lb n="6"/>δούλου τοῦ <roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr>ῦ</abbr></expan></roleName> Εὐστα<lb n="7" break="no"/>θήου τοῦ ἐλαχοῦ συντ <gap reason="illegible" quantity="1" unit="character"/><lb n="8" break="no"/><gap reason="illegible" quantity="5" unit="character"/>ους.
     </ab>
   </div> 
 
Apparatus criticus

3: β[ου]λῆς Latyshev
5: ἀ[πὸ Latyshev
6-8: εὐσ(εβεσ)τά(του) Μα[νουὴ]λ τοῦ Latyshev

Translation

This grave was dug out from my own monastery by Asklepios (or: Alepios). The enlargement (was made) by the servant of God, Eustatheos, the unworthy...

 

Commentary

Latyshev used a transcription made by Puzatov for his first edition of the inscription, and then he used an estampage made by Kulakovsky, on the basis of which he was able to correct his text (Latyshev 1896, pp. 127-128) with reference to the original reconstruction [Ἀν]ορύχθη.

1–2, 5. The formulae are unique.

4,6. The Christian names Asklepios, Alepios and Eustathios (here Eustatheos) are not otherwise attested in Crimea. A rare name Asklepios (see 1902, 1059) is normal for a monk; it occurs 9 times in Byzantine epigraphy (according to PHI7 Database), and the name Eustatheos occurs 50 times.

The inscription is placed over a double grave - apparently, a resting place of the two monks mentioned in the text. The existence of a monastery whose main church was the "church with baptistery" at Tepe-Kermen is corroborated by V 208 (see also Vinogradov, Gaydukov 2004).

 

Images

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