V 72. Cherson. Epitaph of Kyriakos, son of Theodore (?), IV–Vth centuries C.E.
Monument
Type
Cross (?).
Material
Limestone (?).
Dimensions (cm)
H. 27.0, W. 18.0, Th. 88.0.
Additional description
Broken off at the top. Only the bottom arm of the cross survives; it widens to form a base. A raised border runs along the edges on the front. The right half of the front is chipped away.
Place of Origin
Cherson.
Find place
Sevastopol (Chersonesos).
Find context
Necropolis by the Quarantine Bay, Burial vault 2385.
Find circumstances
1907, excavations of K.K. Kostsyushko-Valyuzhinich.
Modern location
Unknown.
Institution and inventory
Unknown.
Autopsy
Non vidi.
Epigraphic field
Position
Within a frame.
Lettering
Lapidary. Alpha with left-slanting crossbar, half-diamond sigma.
Letterheights (cm)
2.0–3.0.
Text
Category
Epitaph.
Date
IV–Vth centuries C.E.
Dating criteria
Palaeography.
Editions
L1. Latyshev 1908, 30, № 24; 1.1. Vinogradov 2010, 136–138, № i.
<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/><supplied reason="lost">Ἐνθάδε</supplied> <supplied reason="lost">κατ</supplied><lb n="2" break="no"/><unclear>ά</unclear><supplied reason="lost">κιτε</supplied>
<lb n="3"/>Κ<unclear>υ</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ρι</supplied><lb n="4" break="no"/>ακὸς <unclear>Θ</unclear><supplied reason="lost">εο</supplied><lb n="5" break="no"/>δόρ<unclear>ο</unclear><supplied reason="lost">υ</supplied>.
</ab>
</div> Apparatus criticus
1-2: om. Latyshev
Translation
Here lies Kyriakos, son of Theodore.
Commentary
If this monument had originally been a cross, then in its top half we would expect a formula with a name of the deceased in the nominative. Judging by the Early Byzantine date of the inscription and the remains of an alpha, the formula most likely was Ἐνθάδε κατάκειται. The name Kyriakos has parallels in the Northern Black Sea region (V 242, V 304, V 325).
Palaeographic features are close to those of V 5: we may compare the shapes of alpha, and kappa without elongated vertical. At the same time, a rare form of sigma - half diamond - has a parallel in the same shape of an epsilon: V 65.
On circumstances of discovery, see Kostsyushko-Valyuzhinich 1911, 80. The grave was probably not robbed, as was Yakobson's opinion, but rather contained no grave goods (see Sorochan 2005, 1072, n. 123). On tombstones in the shape of a cross, see commentary to V 61.
Images
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
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