V 214. Chilter-Marmara.Invocation of Loukas, 1402–1403 C.E.

Monument

Type

Rock wall. 

Material

Limestone. 

Dimensions (cm)

H.26.0, W.34.0.

Additional description

Flat niche (Depth 1cm) with incised image of foliate cross. The surface is heavily scratched, covered with late graffiti. 

Place of Origin

Chilter-Marmara. 

Find place

Chilter-Marmara. 

Find context

Level 5, room 43 (according to Veymarn), eastern wall, next to the niche, left of V 213

Find circumstances

Before 1886, survey of A.L. Bertye-Delagard. 

Modern location

In situ. 

Institution and inventory

In situ, no inventory number. 

Autopsy

September 2008. 

Epigraphic field 1

Position

On the left, under the cross. 

Lettering

Graffito; angular letters of varying heights. Accent marks. 

Letterheights (cm)

1.0–1.5.

Text 1

Category

Invocative inscription. 

Date

1402–1403 C.E. 

Dating criteria

Explicit date. 

Editions

Unpublished. 

Edition

Κ(ύρι)ε,
Κ(ύρι)ε.

Diplomatic

ΚΕ
ΚΕ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><roleName><expan><abbr>Κ</abbr><ex>ύρι</ex><abbr>ε</abbr></expan></roleName>,
      <lb n="2"/><roleName><expan><abbr>Κ</abbr><ex>ύρι</ex><abbr>ε</abbr></expan></roleName>.
      </ab>
   </div>

Translation

Lord. Lord.

 

Commentary

Latyshev used a transcription of Kulakovsky dated to 1896. A photograph of the Crimean expedition conducted by the State Academy for History of Material Culture in 1934 is preserved at the Photo Archive of the Institute for History of Material Culture, Russian Academy of Sciences (О.1077.39; II–18664).

Apparently, we have an example of an unsuccessful inscription with the formula "Lord, help."

 

Epigraphic field 2

Position

Below the cross. 

Lettering

See field 1. 

Text 2

Category

Invocative inscription. 

Date

1402–1403 C.E. 

Dating criteria

Explicit date. 

Editions

Unpublished. 

Edition

Κ(ύρι)ε, βοήθ[ει].

Diplomatic

ΚΕΒΟΗΘ[..]

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><roleName><expan><abbr>Κ</abbr><ex>ύρι</ex><abbr>ε</abbr></expan></roleName>, βοήθ<supplied reason="lost">ει</supplied>.
      </ab>
   </div>

Translation

Lord, help.

 

Commentary

On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.E.a.

 

Epigraphic field 3

Position

Below Text 2. 

Lettering

See field 1. 

Text 3

Category

Commemoration (?). 

Date

1402–1403 C.E. 

Dating criteria

Explicit date. 

Editions

L1. Latyshev1896, 125–126, № 44а. 

Edition

Δοῦλος τοῦ θ(εο)ῦ Λο[υ]κᾶ[ς?]. [Ἐ]π[ὶ] ἔτ(ους)
͵ςϠια´

Diplomatic

ΔΟΥΛΟΣΤΟΥΘΥΛΟ[.]ΚΑ[..]Π[.]ΕΤ
ΣϠΙΑ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="3">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/>Δοῦλος τοῦ <roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr>ῦ</abbr></expan></roleName> Λο<supplied reason="lost">υ</supplied>κᾶ<supplied reason="lost" cert="low">ς</supplied>. <supplied reason="lost">Ἐ</supplied>π<supplied reason="lost">ὶ</supplied> <date><expan><abbr>ἔτ</abbr><ex>ους</ex></expan>
      <lb n="2"/><num value="6911">ςϠια</num></date>
      </ab>
   </div>
 
Apparatus criticus

1: Δοῦλος τοῦ θ(εο)ῦ: om. Kulakovsky apudLatyshev; Λουκ[ᾶς]Latyshev1896 om. Kulakovski apudLatyshev; Ἐ]π[ὶ] ἔτ(ους): om. Kulakovsky apudLatyshev

Translation

Servant of God, Loukas (?). In the year 6911.

 

Commentary

Latyshev used a transcription of Kulakovsky dated to 1896; the latter only read the year date. It is unclear why Latyshev did not offer a clear reading of the text.

The Christian name Loukas is not otherwise known in Crimea. The last text is either commemorative or funerary, the latter possibility is less likely since there are no burials in the cave.

 

Images

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