V 86. Cherson.Epitaph (?)of –kios, XI–XIIth centuries C.E.
Monument
Type
Cross.
Material
Limestone.
Dimensions (cm)
H.16.0, W.15.0, Th.8.0.
Additional description
Appears to be the top arm of a cross (?). The border on the front is decorated with an incised zigzag ornament. On the back there is a groove along the top edge. Broken on the right and bottom.
Place of Origin
Cherson.
Find place
Sevastopol (Chersonesos).
Find context
Unknown.
Find circumstances
Excavations of K.K. Kostsyushko-Valyuzhinich.
Modern location
Sevastopol, Crimea.
Institution and inventory
National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, 4316.
Autopsy
May 1999, August 2001, September 2002, September 2003, September 2004, September 2005, September 2006, September 2007.
Epigraphic field
Position
On the upper arm of the cross.
Lettering
Lapidary style. Ornate mu and upsilon.
Letterheights (cm)
1.7–2.3.
Text
Category
Epitaph (?).
Date
XI–XIIth centuries C.E.
Dating criteria
Palaeography.
Editions
Unpublished.
<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/>Κομυ<supplied reason="lost" cert="low">τήριον</supplied> <gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/><lb n="2" break="no"/><seg part="F">κίου</seg> <gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
</ab>
</div>
Translation
Resting place of [...]kios...
Commentary
the information on the circumstances of find was taken from the inventory card of the National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos.
1. It makes no sense in the context of the XI-XIIth century Cherson to restore the word comes. The only possible alternative is to restore the word κοιμητήριον - a form with a dropped iota is attested in IG VII 2182. This formula, which is otherwise widely attested in Christian epigraphy (210 examples, according to PHI7 Database) is unique in the Northern Black Sea area.
2. This line must be the ending of a second name or of a patronymic. All features point to a funerary monument, also considering the possibility that the shape was a cross.
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
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