V 124. Kermenchik (?). Epitaph of Archontissa, Kostas, Maurikios, and others, 1387 C.E.
Monument
Type
Stele.
Material
Limestone.
Dimensions (cm)
H. 45.0, W. 24.0, Th. 14.5.
Additional description
On the front are three relief crosses in the top half, a relief diamond ornament in the centre, and an inset panel with obtuse triangular top in the bottom half; the sides of the stele are decorated with a diamond pattern; on the back - interlace ornament. Broken on the top and bottom.
Place of Origin
Kermenchik (?).
Find place
Unknown.
Find context
Unknown.
Find circumstances
Unknown.
Modern location
Simferopol, Crimea.
Institution and inventory
Central Museum of Tavrida, no inventory number.
Autopsy
September 2005.
Epigraphic field
Position
Within inset panel.
Lettering
Lapidary style; ornate letters. Delta with extended horizontal raised to mid-letterheight; mu with Y-shaped middle, tau with serifs. Ligature omicron-upsilon, superscript signs, abbreviations, irregular diacritics.
Letterheights (cm)
1.0–1.8.
Text
Category
Epitaph.
Date
1387 C.E.
Dating criteria
Explicit date.
Editions
Unpublished.
<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/><g ref="#stauros"/> Ἐκοιμήθησαν τοῦ
<lb n="2"/><expan><abbr>Γεωρ</abbr><ex>γίου</ex></expan>
τὰ πεδία· ἡ δού<lb n="3" break="no"/>λι τοῦ <roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr>ῦ</abbr></expan></roleName>
Ἀρχοτίσα
<lb n="4"/>καὶ ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ
<roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr>ῦ</abbr></expan></roleName>
<lb n="5"/>Κόστας καὶ
ὁ <expan><abbr>δοῦλο</abbr><ex>ς</ex></expan>
<lb n="6"/>τοῦ <roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr>ῦ</abbr></expan></roleName>
Μαυρίκις
<expan><abbr>κ</abbr><ex>αὶ</ex></expan>
<lb n="7"/>ὁ <expan><abbr>δοῦ</abbr><ex>λος</ex></expan>
τοῦ <roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr>ῦ</abbr></expan></roleName>
Συμε<lb n="8" break="no"/>όνις καὶ ὑ
<expan><abbr>δούλ</abbr><ex>η</ex></expan> τοῦ <roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr>ῦ</abbr></expan></roleName>
<lb n="9"/>Υρύνυ
ἐν <date><expan><abbr>μιν</abbr><ex>ὴ</ex></expan>
<rs type="month" ref="aug">Αὐγού<lb n="10" break="no"/>στου</rs> <num value="3">γ</num>, ἡμέρᾳ <num value="6">ς</num>, ἐπὶ ἔ<lb n="11" break="no"/>τους <num value="6895">ςωϞε</num></date>.
</ab>
</div> Translation
Fell asleep, children of George: a servant of God, Archontissa, a servant of God, Kostas, a servant of God, Maurikios, a servant of God, Simeonis, and a servant of God, Irene, on the 3rd of August, in the 6th indiction, in the year 6895.
Commentary
The origin of the inscription is unknown, but judging by the formulae ἐν μηνὶ and ἐπὶ ἔτους it is likely from Vysokoe (Kermenchik). This supposition is further corroborated by the similarity of the base of the cross to that of V 129 dated to 1382 C.E., as well the arrangement of text between drawn lines as in V 131, also close in date.
1-3. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.F.e. The unusual foregrounding of the father's name is either due to his high social status, or to the fact that he was the one to erect the tombstone.
3. The name Archotisa (apparently, a corruption of Archontissa; see commentary to V 20) is otherwise unknown - although we know of a Christian name Archontios.
5. On the name Konstantinos, see commentary to V 32.
6. The name Maurikios (here Maurikis) is attested in V 330 (emperor).
7-8. On the name Simeonis, see commentary to V 206.
9. The name Irene (here spelled Yryny) is known from V 200.
9-10. August 3rd, 1387 was Saturday, so "the sixth say" of the inscription should mean that day and not Friday: on the count of week days in the Mountainous Crimea, which started with Monday, see commentary to V 167.
This monument is a tombstone of family members who may have been victims of a fire, epidemic, or violence.
Images
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
You may download this inscription in EpiDoc XML. (This file should validate to the EpiDoc schema.)