V 63. Cherson.Epitaph of Damianos, Margaret and their children, IV–Vth centuries C.E.
Monument
Type
Cross.
Material
Limestone.
Dimensions (cm)
H.39.5, W.51.5, Th.17.0.
Additional description
Stone cross with flaring arms. Broken in two parts, with missing bottom arm, and some letters effaced.
Place of Origin
Cherson.
Find place
Sevastopol (Chersonesos).
Find context
Necropolis at Quarantine Bay, Burial vault 1951, outside, in front of the entrance.
Find circumstances
1905, excavations of K.K. Kostsyushko-Valyuzhinich.
Modern location
Sevastopol, Crimea.
Institution and inventory
National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, 4143.
Autopsy
May 1999, August 2001, September 2002, September 2003, September 2004, September 2005, September 2006, September 2007.
Epigraphic field 1
Position
On the top arm of the cross.
Lettering
Lapidary. Alpha with crossbar slanting left, rectangular epsilon and sigma, mu with short central hastae, round and diamond omicron, elongated rho.
Letterheights (cm)
1.0–1.3.
Epigraphic field 2
Position
On the intersection, crosswise.
Letterheights (cm)
3.7–5.0.
Text
Category
Epitaph, acclamation.
Date
IV–Vth centuries C.E.
Dating criteria
Palaeography.
Editions
L1. Latyshev1906a, 123–124, № 38; 2. Vinogradov2010, 132–133, № g.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/><roleName><supplied reason="lost">Κύρι</supplied>ε</roleName>, ἀν<unclear>ά</unclear>παυσον τ<supplied reason="lost">ὰς</supplied>
<lb n="2"/><supplied reason="lost">ψυ</supplied>χὰς τὰς ἐνθά<supplied reason="lost">δ</supplied>ε
<lb n="3"/><supplied reason="lost">κ</supplied><unclear>α</unclear>τακιμένας, ἀμήν·
<lb n="4"/><supplied reason="lost">Δ</supplied>αμιανοῦ
καὶ Μαρ<lb n="5" break="no"/><unclear>γ</unclear>αρίτος
καὶ το͂ν
<lb n="6"/>τέκνον αὐτο͂ν.
</ab>
</div><div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/>Φῶς,
<lb n="2"/>ζωή.
</ab>
</div>
Translation
Lord, grant rest to the souls lying here, Amen: of [D]amianos, Margaret, and their children.
2Light. Life.
Commentary
The monument was on display at the exhibition "Byzantine Cherson" (Chichurov 1991, 28, № 12).
1-3. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.F.b.
4-5. The names of the deceased are typical Christian names: the man's name is attested in Christian epigraphy of various regions 20 times, according to PHI7 Database, while the woman's name falls into the category of Christian nick-names - "pearl": in the West this epithet was applied to St. Marina; in Byzantine epigraphy it is known in one inscription: I.Eph. 1357.
Palaeographic features are close to those of V 5: we may compare the shapes of alpha, rectangular epsilon and sigma. Diamond-shaped omicron is analogous to that in V 76.
This inscription originates from a Christian catacomb that contained no grave goods, but was filled to the top with bones (Kostsyushko-Valyuzhinich1907, 94, № 1951). It is possible that originally it was a family tomb of Damianos. On tombstones in the shape of a cross, see commentary to V 61.
On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.С.b. Among funerary inscriptions of the Northern Black Sea region, we find a close parallel in V 79.
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
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