Fragmentary Greek inscription on a lintel, probably invoking *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033). Found at Kafr Aqid, to the south of Apamea on the Orontes (central Syria). Probably late antique.
Evidence ID
E01686
Type of Evidence
Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)
[Χριστὸ]ν (?) Μαρία γ(εννᾷ). + Γε[ώργις (?)]
'Mary bears Christ (?). + Georgios (?)'
Text: IGLS 4, no. 1387.
Non Liturgical Activity
Prayer/supplication/invocation
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesOther lay individuals/ people
Source
Fragment of a stone lintel, broken and lost at both ends. Decorated with a carving of a cross within a circle in the centre; remnants of an inscription to the right and left of it. H. 0.38 m; W. 0.80 m; letter height 0.18 m. Numerous ligatures.Seen and copied by René Mouterde between 1935 and 1938. First published in 1950.
Discussion
René Mouterde supposed that the complete text contained one of the presumed expansions of the symbol ΧΜΓ, very frequent in eastern Greek inscriptions. Mouterde believed that here it was used as an apotropaic formula, displayed over the door of a house in order to protect it. The name of the owner of this building, possibly Georgios, might have followed the religious phrase.Bibliography
Edition:Jalabert, L., Mouterde, R., Mondésert, C., Les inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie, vol. 4: Laodicée, Apamène (BAH 61, Paris: P. Guethner, 1955), no. 1387.
Mouterde, R., "A travers l'Apamène", Mélanges de l'Université Saint-Joseph (Beyrouth, Lebanon) 28 (1949-1950), 32-33.
Reference works:
Bulletin épigraphique (1952), 160.
Record Created By
Paweł Nowakowski
Date of Entry
01/07/2016
ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00033 | Mary, Mother of Christ | Μαρία | Certain |
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Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Paweł Nowakowski, Cult of Saints, E01686 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E01686