V 93. Cherson. Demonstrative inscription, Xth century C.E.

Monument

Type

Lid. 

Material

White fine-grained marble. 

Dimensions (cm)

H. 5.0, Diam. 20.0-25.0.

Additional description

Circular lid of a vessel. On the top side is a relief cross (H. 0.4cm) in the centre, and relief border along the edge (0.75cm). On the underside there is a concavity with a border. Broken along radial lines, leaving a segment of approximately 90 degrees. 

Place of Origin

Cherson. 

Find place

Sevastopol (Chersonesos). 

Find context

North, Block XXV, near the apse of a chapel, outside, layer 2. 

Find circumstances

1932, excavations of G.D. Belov. 

Modern location

Sevastopol, Crimea. 

Institution and inventory

National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, 25/35546. 

Autopsy

May 1999, August 2001, September 2002, September 2003, September 2004, September 2005, September 2006, September 2007. 

Epigraphic field 1

Position

In corners between the arms of the cross. 

Lettering

Lapidary, bouletée. Alpha with a loop, delta with projecting right hasta. Ligature nu-eta. 

Letterheights (cm)

2.2–3.3.

Text 1

Category

Demonstrative. 

Date

Xth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Palaeography. 

Editions

Unpublished. 

Edition

[Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστὸ)ς]
νη[κᾷ].

Diplomatic

[....]
ΝΗ[..]

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><supplied reason="lost"><expan><abbr>Ἰ</abbr><ex>ησοῦ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan>
      <expan><abbr>Χ</abbr><ex>ριστὸ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan></supplied>
      <lb n="2"/>νη<supplied reason="lost">κᾷ</supplied>.
      </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

Jesus Christ is victorious.

 

Commentary

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

 

Epigraphic field 2

Position

Along the edge. 

Text 2

Category

Liturgical (?) inscription. 

Date

Xth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Palaeography. 

Editions

Unpublished. 

Edition

[--- τ]ῆ̣ς δόξ(ης) κα̣[ὶ ---]

Diplomatic

[---.].ΣΔΟΞΚ.[.---]

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
      <supplied reason="lost">τ</supplied><unclear>ῆ</unclear>ς
      <expan><abbr>δόξ</abbr><ex>ης</ex></expan>
      κ<unclear>α</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ὶ</supplied>
      <gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
      </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

... of glory and...

 

Commentary

Apparently, Text 2 contained some liturgical formula. In order to fit it onto the surface, the cutter was forced to abbreviated the last two letters of the word δόξης. The object is most likely a lid of a liturgical vessel.

Palaeographic features of the text are close to those of V 89 and can be dated to the Xth century. Since the chapel in whose vicinity the monument was found is dated to a later period (Belov 1941, 243, fig. 68), it is possible that this lid originates from the adjacent "Basilica of 1932."

 

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.)