Bir el Qutt inscriptions

The Bir el Qutt inscriptions () are fourHorn, p. 204 Old Georgian Byzantine mosaic inscriptions in the Asomtavruli script. They were excavated at a Saint Theodore TironCorbo, p. 113Khurtsilava, p. 26 Georgian Orthodox monastery in 1952Khurtsilava, p. 13Corbo, p. 110 by Italian archaeologist Virgilio Canio CorboKhurtsilava, p. 6 near Bir el Qutt, in the Judaean Desert, south-east of Jerusalem and north of Bethlehem.Tchekhanovets, p. 137

The complex was built of reddish limestone.Tchekhanovets, p. 138 The excavations has also revealed a monastery which produced wine and olive oil.Corbo, p. 2 Georgian inscriptions were found on a mosaic floorTchekhanovets, p. 140Corbo, pp. 8-136 decorated with geometrical and floral patterns.De Gruyter, p. 605 The first two inscriptions are dated AD 430,Rayfield, p. 41Khurtsilava, p. 17 while the last two AD 532.De Gruyter, pp. 605-608 The excavations of Bir el Qutt conditioned discovery of inscriptions where only one has survived completely while others lack parts of the mosaic that suffered significant damage.Khurtsilava (2017) p. 130 The inscriptions in memoriam mention Peter the IberianCorbo, p. 130 alongside his father, and also Bacurius the Iberian who is thought to be a possible maternal great-uncleRayfield, p. 39 or grandfather of Peter.Khurtsilava, p. 24Tchekhanovets, p. 148 Peter reputedly was the founderRayfield, p. 40 or the renovator of the monastery.Khurtsilava (2017) pp. 140-141 Peter's aristocratic descent would allow him easy access to various persons of power and prestige in Constantinople, Jerusalem and other places,Horn, pp. 1-2 to actively develop Georgian monastic establishments.Horn, p. 71 At the end of the eighth century the monastery was completely abandoned.De Gruyter, pp. 605-606

So far, the first two carvings are the oldest extant Georgian inscriptions.De Gruyter, pp. 605-610Tchekhanovets, p. 146 The inscriptions are kept at the Terra Sancta Museum of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jerusalem.Tchekhanovets, p. 141 Inscription 2 mentioning Peter the Iberian is currently missing and is deemed to be lost.Khurtsilava, p. 18

Inscriptions Inscription 1

ႣႠႻႭჃႻ ႤႭჃႪႬႨႫ ႠႧႬႨႡႠ ႩႭჃႰႣႠ ႢႰႨႭႰႫ ႨႦႣႣႠႬ ႠႸႭႡႬႨ ႫႠႧႬႨႵ

dadzudz eulnim atniba kʼurda griorm izddan ashobni matnik

Translation: Jesus Christ, have mercy on Bakur and Griormizd and their descendants.Tchekhanovets, pp. 144—145Khurtsilava, p. 23Corbo, pp. 137—138

This inscription was discovered to the west of the colonnade of central yard. The letters were arranged within three squares with black pebbles on white background.De Gruyter, p. 609 The carving of the inscription also differentiates from the other ones as the letters are comparatively rough.Khurtsilava (2017) p. 140 The text of the inscription is rather short, but an interesting thing is that out of two persons mentioned in the text the name of one of them repeats the name of prominent possible grandfather of Peter, Bakur the Iberian. The second person "Gri Ormizd" mentioned in the inscription is unknown, although as the inscription explains they were friends or relatives who grew up together.Khurtsilava (2017) p. 141

Inscription 2

ႼႫႨႣႠႭႧႤႭႣႭႰ ႤႫႠႰႭჃႠႬႣႠႡႭ ჃႰႦႬ[…]ႤႬႠႫႨ[…]Ⴄ

tsʼmidaoteodor emarndabu rzn[…]enami[…]e

Translation: Saint Theodore, have mercy on Maruan and Burzen, Amen.Tchekhanovets, p. 145Khurtsilava, p. 19Corbo, p. 138

Maruan was a secular name of Peter the Iberian. His father is mentioned as Burzen. Syriac edition of the 6th century “Vita” of Peter provides their names as "Nabarnugios" and "Buzmarios", while the 13th century Georgian edition of the Vita refers them as "Murvanos" and "Varaz-Bakur" respectively. It is assumed that these names in Syriac edition have the Greek ending "-os". Buzmar is the same name as Buzmihr and it is concluded that full name of the father of Peter was to be "Burzen-Mihr".Khurtsilava (2017) p. 133 The name "Varaz-Bakur" is thought to be the mistake made by the author of Georgian edition.Khurtsilava (2017) pp. 133-134 "Burzen" represents the Parthian form and is represented with many various forms in different sources such as Burzin, Burz, Borzin, Barzi, Barzen, Baraz, Barza.Khurtsilava (2017) p. 134 Syriac edition has secular name of Peter as John Rufus mentions Peter in the text as "Nabarnugios". John being his contemporary and follower, was certainly aware of a real name of his spiritual confessor prior to becoming the monk.Khurtsilava (2017) p. 135 Peter being referenced under the inscription by his secular name does signify that the inscription itself had been made before Peter entered the monkhood.Khurtsilava (2017) p. 136

Inscription 3

ႸႤႼႤႥႬႨႧႠႵჁႱႨႧႠႣႠႫ ႤႭႾႤႡႨႧႠႼႫႨႣႨႱႠႣႠႧႤჂႱႨႧႠ ႸႬႠႬႲႭႬႨႠႡႠჂႣႠႨႭႱႨႠႫႭ ႫႱႾႫႤႪႨႠႫႨႱႱႤႴႨႱႠჂႣႠႫႠ ႫႠႣႤႣႠჂႨႭႱႨႠჂႱႨႠႫႤႬ

shetsʼevnitakeysitadam eokhebitatsʼmidisadateysita shnantʼoniabaydaiosiamo mskhmeliamissepisaydama madedayiosiaysiamen

Translation: With the help of Jesus Christ and Saint Theodore, God have mercy on Abba Antony and Iosia the layer of this mosaic and the father and mother of Iosia, Amen.Tchekhanovets, p. 143Khurtsilava, p. 16Corbo, p. 135

This five-line mosaic inscription (size: ) was set in a tabula ansata, placed on the floor of the refectory hall of the monastery.De Gruyter, p. 606 Asomtavruli letters and the frame are made of black tessera on the white background and the mosaic's state of preservation is excellent.De Gruyter, p. 607 Iosia (i.e. Josiah) in the inscription is referenced as "master of mosaics". The name “Josiah” is unknown for Georgian nomenclature of that time. It is the Jewish personal name, represented with the Greek form, a name is not known by other sources. It seems that he was a Christian and is mentioned in the inscription together with his parents. Some scholars consider Josiah to be the person who provided the funds for mosaic in the church.Khurtsilava (2017) p. 131 Abba Anthony is identified by scholars with the Jerusalemite GeorgianHorn, p. 205 monk and priest Amba Anthony (fl. 596) who had been mentioned in several Georgian sources,Khurtsilava (2017) p. 132 who was connected with Simeon Stylites the Younger. Per sources he brought to Simeon the relics of the True Cross, later stayed in Syria, where he became a bishop.De Gruyter, p. 608

Inscription 4 [...] Ⴆ[...] Ⴈ[...] CO[...] MCO[...] Translation: [...]z[...]i[...]CO[...]MCO[...]

The fourth mosaic inscription is too fragmentary to propose a reading. It was found at the eastern portico of the courtyard.De Gruyter, p. 612

See also Greco-Georgian mosaic of Mount Zion Bolnisi inscriptions Umm Leisun inscription

Notes

References

Bibliography Corbo, V. C. (1955) Gli scavi di Kh. Siyar el-Ghanam (Campo dei pastori) e i monasteri dei dintorni, Tip. dei PP. Francescani Tchekhanovets, Y. (2018) The Caucasian Archaeology of the Holy Land: Armenian, Georgian and Albanian communities between the fourth and eleventh centuries CE, Brill Publishers, Khurtsilava, B. (2017) The inscriptions of the Georgian Monastery in Bi’r el-Qutt and their chronology, Christianity in the Middle East, No 1, Moscow, pp. 129–151 Khurtsilava, B. (2018) Traces of the Georgians on the Holy Land, Tbilisi,

Rayfield, D. (2013) Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia, Reaktion Books, De Gruyter (2018) Iudaea / Idumaea: 2649–3324, Part 1, LXXIV, Horn, C. B. (2006) Asceticism and Christological Controversy in Fifth-Century Palestine, The Career of Peter the Iberian, Oxford University Press,

Bir el Qutt inscriptions

Bron en licentie