Inscriptions from Israel and Palestine
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ZOOR0131

Negev. Zoora. September 12, 427 CE. Purple sandstone tombstone with yellowish stripes. Epitaph.
Transcription

ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Ἄννα Ἀζίζου, ἀπὸ πόλεως Πέτρα, ἀποθανοῦσα ἠτὸνἐτῶν ζʹ, ἤτουςἔτους τριακοσσιοστοῦ εἰκοστοῦ δευτέρου, μενὸςμηνός Γορπε+ήουΓορπιαίου εκʹ, + ἡμέρᾳ σαμβάτουσαββάτου γʹ.

Translation

Monument of Anna, (daughter?) of Azizos, from (the) city of Petra, who died (at the age) of 7 years, in the three hundred and twenty-second year, on (the) 25th (day) of (the) month Gorpiaios, on (the) 3rd day of (the) week (Thursday).

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
The inscription provides the date as the 25th of the month Gorpiaios in the year 322 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, September 12, 427 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. The nearly rectangular stone is broken at the upper left and right corners and curved at the bottom. Its smoothed, inscribed surface is flaked off on the left and right sides and weathered in the upper left and middle sections. The engraved text, written predominantly in square script, is set within incised guide-lines. The text shows traces of red paint in lines seven and ten. The text is surrounded by an engraved, cross-shaped frame, which is itself surrounded by a square engraved frame. Decorative figures appear in the four empty corners created by these two frames. Two inward-facing peacocks are engraved in the upper corners, while two crosses with serifs are painted in the lower corners. An engraved, double outlined pediment appears on top of the square frame containing the text and these decorative figures. An outlined cross with serifs is inscribed within this pediment. Three right-facing angular motifs follow the age numeral in line five. In line ten, three right-facing angular motifs precede the month day numeral while another two follow. The weekday numeral in line twelve is decorated with a horizontal bar above it and two right-facing angular motifs following it. The text contains both spelling and grammatical errors. The name and gender of the deceased in uncertain due to the heavy weathering of the letters in lines two and five which has obscured the name and the gender of the participle. The reading of the patronymic is similarly speculative. If the reconstruction Ἀζίζου is correct, then it is the first attestation of this name at Ghor es-Safi.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 47 cm; W: 37 cm; D: 08 cm

Date

427 CE to 427 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Guide-lines set within the text

  • Cross (see note)

  • Angular motif in lines five and twelve

  • Frame surrounding the text

  • Peacock in the upper corners of the frame

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. insc 131.
    Zotero
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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," ZOOR0131, 3 April 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89