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Location

ZOOR0198

Negev. Zoora. February 8, 454 CE. Brown and white sandstone tombstone. Epitaph.

Transcription

+ + + Εἷς Θεὀς. ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Νετίρου Νεσρέου, ἀποθανόντος μετὰ καλοῦ ὀνόματος ἐτῶν κβʹ, ἐν ἔτιἔτει τμηʹ, μηνὸς Περιτίου κδʹ, ἡμέρᾳ Κυρίου βʹ. ΘάρσιΘάρσει, οὐδὶςοὐδεὶς ἀθάνατος. +

Translation

One (is) the God. Monument of Netiros, (son) of Nesreos, who died having a good name (at the age) of 22 years, in the year 348, on (the) 24th (day) of (the) month Peritios, on (the) 2nd day of (the) Lord (Monday). 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 2nd day of the Lord (Monday), the 24th of the month Peritios, in the year 348 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, February 8, 454 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 in the left, upper, and right sides and chipped all around. Written in square script, the text is engraved upon a smoothed surface, which is slightly hollowed in the center. Lines three, six, and nine are painted over in red, while lines eight, eleven, and part of five are painted green. Three small engraved and red painted crosses with serifs are located above text. The first cross is placed between two vertical lines. A cross with triangular serifs appears below the text; its horizontal bar is painted red, while its vertical bar is painted green. The cross is flanked by two widely open palm branches, the left of which is drawn in red paint and the right in faded green paint. The text and decorative figures are surrounded by an incised, red-painted frame. A horizontal bar appears above the age numeral in line seven, the year numeral in line eight, the month day numeral in line nine, and the weekday numeral in line ten. Angular motifs are found on each side of the age numeral in line seven. The text contains both spelling and grammatical errors. The mu which starts the word Μνημῖον on line 1 is inscribed as an inverted nu, while the second alpha in the word ἀπoθανόντος on line four of the text is missing its horizontal stroke.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 41 cm; W: 30 cm; D: 10 cm

Date

454 CE to 454 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Frame surrounding the text

  • Guide-lines set within the text

  • Cross three above text, one below (see note)

  • Palm branch flanking the lower cross

  • Angular motif in line seven

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," ZOOR0198, 7 February 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89