V 296. Pantikapaion. Epitaph of Abika, IV–VIth century C.E.

Monument

Type

Cross. 

Material

Hard limestone rubble. 

Dimensions (cm)

H. 46.0, W. 31.0, Th. 17.0.

Additional description

Latin cross with enlarged crossbar; on the front top - line carving of a cross with serifs, with suspended alpha and omega. Chipped on the right. 

Place of Origin

Pantikapaion. 

Find place

Kerch. 

Find context

Behind the Prisoners' Barrack (park area on the territory of the modern fish cannery 'Proliv' (41 Kirov St.)?), property of I. Demidov. 

Find circumstances

July 1892, chance find. 

Modern location

Kerch, Crimea. 

Institution and inventory

Historical and Archeological Museum of Kerch State Historical and Cultural Preserve, КЛ–523. 

Autopsy

May 1999, September 2004, September 2008. 

Epigraphic field 1

Position

On the crossbar. 

Lettering

Lapidary. Alpha with broken crossbar, rectangular omega. 

Letterheights (cm)

3.5–5.5.

Text 1

Category

Demonstrative. 

Date

IV–VIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Palaeography. 

Editions

L1. Latyshev 1895, 62, № 67; 1.1. Latyshev 1896, 89, №87; 1.2. Diatroptov, Yemets 1995, № 4. 

Edition

Α Ω.

Diplomatic

ΑΩ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/>Α Ω.
      </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

Alpha, omega

 

Commentary

Image of a cross with suspended alpha and omega is known in Bosporus also from V 305 (491 C.E.).

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

On tombstones in the shape of a cross, see commentary to V 61.

 

Images

Epigraphic field 2

Position

On the crossbar. 

Lettering

Lapidary. Alpha with broken crossbar, beta with enlarged bottom loop. 

Letterheights (cm)

3.5–5.5.

Text 2

Category

Epitaph. 

Date

IV–VIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Palaeography. 

Editions

L1. Latyshev 1895, 62, № 67; 1.1. Latyshev 1896, 89, №87; 1.2. Diatroptov, Yemets 1995, № 4. 

Edition

Ἀβίκα.

Diplomatic

ΑΒΙΚΑ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/>Ἀβίκα.
      </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

Abika.

 

Commentary

The name of the deceased is non-Greek, possibly Iranian, meaning "sheep" (kindly communicated to me by S.R. Tokhtasiev).

 

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.)