V 196. Theodoro. Inscription on the wall of a cave, 1220–1221 C.E.

Monument

Type

Rock wall. 

Material

Limestone. 

Dimensions (cm)

H. 4.0, W. 16.0.

Additional description

On the wall - image of a cross with flaring arms (20x19). Chipped on the left. 

Place of Origin

Theodoro. 

Find place

Mangup. 

Find context

Tabana-Dere, monastery, upper level, northern cave, northeast wall, under the northern niche, 80cm above ground. 

Find circumstances

Around 1896, survey of A.L. Bertye-Delagard. 

Modern location

In situ. 

Institution and inventory

In situ, no inventory number. 

Autopsy

September 2008. 

Epigraphic field

Position

Below the cross. 

Lettering

Lapidary; slightly elongated letters. Kappa with free-standing vertical. 

Letterheights (cm)

2.5.

Text

Category

Commemoration. 

Date

1220–1221 C.E. 

Dating criteria

Explicit date. 

Editions

L1. Latyshev 1897, 154. 

Edition

+ Ἔτ(ους) ͵[ς]ψκθ´.

Diplomatic

+ΕΤ[.]ΨΚΘ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
   <ab>
      <lb n="1"/> <g ref="#stauros"/> <date> <expan> <abbr>Ἔτ</abbr><ex>ους</ex></expan> <num value="6729"><supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied>ψκθ</num></date>.
   </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

In the year [6]729.

 

Commentary

The most likely hypothesis is that this inscription is commemorative (cf. V 147), although we cannot exclude the possibility that it signifies the date when the cave had been made, in which case it should be classified as a building inscription. It fits in well with V 174 (1224-1225) from the same complex.

 

Images

(cc) © 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
You may download this inscription in EpiDoc XML. (This file should validate to the EpiDoc schema.)