V 79. Cherson. Epitaph of Peter, Christopher and Sisinios, VI–VIIth centuries C.E.
Monument
Type
Stele.
Material
Limestone.
Dimensions (cm)
H. 40.0, W. 23.0, Th. 7.0.
Additional description
Stele with rounded top. On the front is a relief, vertically stretched cross. On the back is a relief four-petal rosette. Broken at the bottom, chipped on the sides.
Place of Origin
Cherson.
Institution and inventory
National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, 101/36504.
Epigraphic field 1
Position
In the semicircle, at the top.
Lettering
Lapidary. Alpha with broken crossbar, rectangular epsilon, diamond omicron, rho, and phi, lunate sigma. Ligatures: omicron-diamond rho, mu-nu-eta, eta-nu-eta.
Letterheights (cm)
1.2–2.7.
Text 1
Category
Epitaph.
Date
VI–VIIth centuries C.E.
Dating criteria
Palaeography.
Editions
L1. Soznik, Turovsky, et al. 1997, 64-74; 1.1. SEG 47.1172; 2. Vinogradov 2009, 242-244.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/>Μνῆμα
<lb n="2"/>Πέτρου ναύτου.
<lb n="3"/>Μνῆμα Χριστο<lb n="4" break="no"/>φόρου κὲ <supplied reason="lost">Σ</supplied>ηση<surplus>ν</surplus>νήου.
</ab>
</div>
Apparatus criticus
4: ΗΣΗ.ΗΟΥ resp. ΚΥΡΙΕ ΒΟΗΘΕ (sic!) (?) Soznik
Translation
Monument of Peter, a sailor. Monument of Christopher and Sisinios.
Commentary
Despite the consistency of script throughout the text, the absence of a conjunction between lines 1-2 and 3-4 raises a possibility that the two sentences were not inscribed simultaneously, but "monument of Peter, a sailor" first, and "monument of Christopher and Sisinios" later.
1, 3. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.F.h.
3-4.On the name Christopher, see commentary to V 61. The name Sisinios (here Seseneos) is attested in the Northern Black Sea region twice: in Bulgaria, Beševliev 1964, № 100 (VIth century, Odessos) and № 181а ((VIII–IXth century, Sozopol) - in the former case, the name is accompanied by a profession, leatherworker.
The script of our inscription is similar to that of V 60, V 62 and V 78. It most likely comes from a burial vault of the Necropolis by the Extramural Church.
Epigraphic field 2
Position
Below the rosette, crosswise.
Lettering
Lapidary. Alpha with broken crossbar, rectangular epsilon, diamond omicron, rho, and phi, lunate sigma. Ligatures: omicron-diamond rho, mu-nu-eta, eta-nu-eta.
Letterheights (cm)
1.7–3.5.
Text 2
Category
Demonstrative.
Date
VI–VIIth centuries C.E.
Dating criteria
Palaeography.
Editions
L1. Soznik, Turovsky, et al. 1997,1 64-74; 1.1. SEG 47.1172.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/>Φῶς,
<lb n="2"/>ζωή.
</ab>
</div>
Translation
Light, life.
Commentary
On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.C.b.
Epigraphic field 3
Position
Below the rosette, crosswise.
Lettering
Lapidary. Alpha with broken crossbar, rectangular epsilon, diamond omicron, rho, and phi, lunate sigma. Ligatures: omicron-diamond rho, mu-nu-eta, eta-nu-eta.
Letterheights (cm)
2.2–7.8.
Text 3
Category
Demonstrative.
Date
VI–VIIth centuries C.E.
Dating criteria
Palaeography.
Editions
L1. Soznik, Turovsky, et al. 1997, 1 64-74; 1.1. SEG 47.1172.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="3">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/>Φῶς,
<lb n="2"/>ζωή.
</ab>
</div>
Translation
Light, life.
Commentary
On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.C.b.
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
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