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. Latyshev1895, 62, № 67; 1.1. Latyshev1896, 89, №87; 1.2. Diatroptov, Yemets1995, № 4.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/>Α Ω.
</ab>
</div>Translation
Alpha, omega
Commentary
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. Latyshev1895, 62, № 67; 1.1. Latyshev1896, 89, №87; 1.2. Diatroptov, Yemets1995, № 4.
<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
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
You may download this inscription in EpiDoc XML. (This file should validate to theEpiDoc schema.)