Images

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Location

ZOOR0053

Negev. Zoora. March 22, 386 CE - March 21, 387 CE. Purple sandstone tombstone. Epitaph.

Transcription

ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Μολεχάθη ἈβδλγουἈβδάλγου. Ἐτελεύτεσεν ἠτῶν κʹ, ἔτους σπαʹ.

Translation

Monument of Molechathe, (daughter) of Abdalges. She died (at the age) of 20 years, in (the) year 281...

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
The inscription provides the date as the 30th day of the month Dystros in the year 280 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, March 16, 386 CE. The tombstone is one of about 700 discovered in Byzantine Zoora. The majority of the Greek tombstones from this location have been identified as Christian. Only the upper part of this tombstone remains. The remaining text is composed of round alphabet script, with the exception of a square letter σ in lines four and six. The text, which contains both spelling and grammatical errors, follows deeply engraved guide-lines and was originally painted over in red. The personal name Ἀβδλγου in line three is probably a misspelling due to the inscriber's omission of an α after the δ. The personal name Μολεχάθη is derived from the Semitic root mlk, "to reign," or mlh, "to become beautiful." The first two letters of line six are lost to a break in the text. A dividing oblique stroke appears between ἔτους and the following year numeral. The missing lower part of the inscription probably consisted of another three or four lines.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 27 cm; W: 31 cm; D: 10 cm

Date

386 CE to 387 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Guide lines between the text

Bibliography

Source of diplomatic

No bibliography available for diplomatic transcription.

Source of transcription

No bibliography available for transcription.

Source of translation

No bibliography available for translation.

Other sources

  • Meimaris, Yiannis, and Kalliope Kritikakou-Nikolaropoulou. Inscriptions from Palaestina Tertia Vol. Ia: The Greek Inscriptions from Ghor Es-Safi (Byzantine Zoora). Athens, Greece: National Hellenic Research Foundation, 2005.
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The project can be cited as:

Satlow, Michael L., ed. 2002 - . “Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine.” Brown University. https://doi.org/10.26300/PZ1D-ST89

This inscription can be cited as:

"Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine," ZOOR0053, 7 February 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89