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Location

ZOOR0172

Negev. Zoora. July 17, 443 CE. Yellowish sandstone tombstone with purple stripes and two green diagonal veins. Epitaph.

Transcription

+ ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Κύρας Ἀλφίου, ἀπαθανόντοςἀποθανόντος μετὰ κολοῦκαλοῦ ἀνάματοςὀνόματος ἐτῶν ιζʹ, ἐν τληʹ, ἐν μενὶμηνὶ ΠανέμουΠανήμου ηκʹ. ΘάρσιΘάρσει, οὐδὶςοὐδεὶς ἀθάντοςἀθάνατος.

Translation

Monument of Kyra, (daughter) of Alphios, who died having a good name (at the age) of 17 years, in (the year) 338, on (the) 28th (day) of the month Panemos. Be of good cheer, no one (is) immortal.

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
The inscription provides the date as the 28th day of the month Panemos in the year 338 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, July 17, 443 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 tombstone is curved at the top, broken at the lower left side, and chipped all around its edges. The first half of the text is written in round script, while the second half is written in square, except for the omicrons and thetas. The text is engraved upon a smoothed surface, which shows some recent damage from a pick. Lines one, four, and seven are painted over in red. The text is surrounded by an incised frame and set within engraved guide-lines, with lines two and five also painted red. An engraved, outlined cross with a chi in the middle is centered above the frame. This cross is flanked by two incised, red-painted birds bearing a palm branch. A serpentine motif appears after the age numeral and preposition ἐν in line five, the year numeral in line six, and the inverted month day numeral in line seven. The text contains both spelling and grammatical errors.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 43 cm; W: 30.5 cm; D: 09 cm

Date

443 CE to 443 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Serpentine motif (see note)

  • Frame surrounding the text

  • Chi center of the cross

  • Bird flanking the upper cross

  • Guide-lines set within the text

  • Cross centered above 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.
    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," ZOOR0172, 7 February 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89