V 78. Cherson. Epitaph of Lazaros, V–VIth centuries C.E.
Monument
Type
Panel.
Material
Limestone.
Dimensions (cm)
H. 23.5, W. 20.0, Th. 8.0.
Additional description
Egg-shaped panel. Incuse image of a cross with widening arms within a frame incised along the edges. There may have been a dowel at the bottom, where the panel brakes off. Chipped on the front at the top.
Place of Origin
Cherson.
Find place
Sevastopol (Chersonesos).
Find context
Necropolis by the Quarantine Bay, Burial vault 2368, near the entrance.
Find circumstances
1907.
Modern location
Sevastopol, Crimea.
Institution and inventory
National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, 73/36504.
Autopsy
May 1999, August 2001, September 2002, September 2003, September 2004, September 2005, September 2006, September 2007.
Epigraphic field
Position
In corners between the arms of the cross.
Lettering
Lapidary. Alpha with broken crossbar. Ligature: diamond omicron-upsilon.
Letterheights (cm)
2.0–2.3.
Text
Category
Epitaph.
Date
V–VIth centuries C.E.
Dating criteria
Palaeography, phonetics.
Editions
L1. Latyshev 1908, 31, № 25.
<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/><supplied reason="lost">Μν</supplied>εμῆον
<lb n="2"/>Λαζάρου.
</ab>
</div> Apparatus criticus
1: Μν]εμῆον (?) Latyshev
Translation
[Mon]ument of Lazaros.
Commentary
The inscription was on display at the exhibition "Byzantine Cherson" (Chichurov 1991, 26, № 10).
1. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.F.h. On the interchange of eta and epsilon, see commentary to V 61.
2. Three early Christian saints were known under the name of Lazaros (see Delehaye 1902, 146, 567, 760), at the same time, it is not so widely attested in Christian epigraphy: twice in Ephesos and once in Syria, according to PHI7 Database. Taking these data into consideration, as well as the fact that the term μνημεῖον was used in the Northern Black Sea region in reference either to saints (V 76) or clerics (V 295), we could speculate that this Lazaros may have been a cleric.
Most probably the inscription belongs to the burial vault at the entrance to which it was found. Inside, several datable objects were also found (Kostsyushko-Valyuzhinich 1911, 74). Palaeographic features are similar to those of V 76 and V 79.
Images
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
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