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Bir el Qutt inscriptions

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Bir el Qutt Georgian inscriptions
Inscription 1
MaterialMosaic
WritingGeorgian language inscriptions written in a Georgian script
CreatedAD 430 (two inscriptions)
AD 532 (third inscription)
Discovered1952 by Virgilio Canio Corbo
Present locationStudium Biblicum Franciscanum, Jerusalem

The Bir el Qutt inscriptions (Georgian: ბირ ელ ყუტის წარწერები) are the Georgian language Byzantine mosaic inscriptions written in the Georgian Asomtavruli script which were excavated at a Georgian monastery in 1952[1] by an Italian archaeologist Virgilio Canio Corbo near Bir el Qutt, in the Judaean Desert, 6 km south-east of Jerusalem and 2 km north of Bethlehem.[2] Georgian inscriptions were found on a mosaic floor.[3][4][5] Two inscriptions are dated AD 430 and the third one AD 532.[6][7]

The monastery where the inscriptions were excavated was founded or rebuilt by the Georgian philosopher and royal prince Peter the Iberian. One of the inscriptions mentions him with his father.[8][9] The other inscription mentions Bacurius the Iberian who is thought to be a possible grandfather of Peter.[10]

As of 2015, the first two carvings are the oldest extant Georgian inscriptions. The inscriptions are kept at the museum of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jerusalem.[11] Inscription 2 mentioning Peter the Iberian is currently missing.[12]

Inscriptions

Inscription 1

ႣႠ ႻႭჃႻ

ႤႭჃႪႬႨ Ⴋ
ႠႧႬႨ ႡႠ
ႩႭჃႰ ႣႠ
ႢႰႨ ႭႰႫ
ႨႦႣ ႣႠ Ⴌ
ႠႸႭႡႬႨ

ႫႠႧႬႨ Ⴕ

  • Translation: "Jesus Christ, have mercy on Bakur and Griormizd and their descendants."
  • Dated: AD 430

Inscription 2

ႼႫႨႣႠႭ ႧႤႭႣႭႰ

Ⴄ ႫႠႰ Ⴌ ႣႠ ႡႭჃ

ႰႦ Ⴌ ႤႬ ႠႫႨ

  • Translation: "Saint Theodore, have mercy on Maruan and Burzen, Amen."
  • Dated: AD 430

Inscription 3

Inscription 3

ႸႤႼႤႥႬႨႧႠ Ⴕ ჁႱႨႧႠ ႣႠ Ⴋ

ႤႭႾႤႡႨႧႠ ႼႫႨႣႨႱႠ ႣႠ Ⴇ ႤჂႱႨႧႠ
ႸႬ ႠႬႲႭႬႨ ႠႡႠჂ ႣႠ ႨႭႱႨႠ ႫႭ
ႫႱႾႫႤႪႨ ႠႫႨႱ ႱႤႴႨႱႠჂ ႣႠ ႫႠ

ႫႠ ႣႤႣႠჂ ႨႭႱႨႠჂႱႨ ႠႫႤႬ

  • Translation: "With the help of Jesus Christ and Saint Theodore, God have mercy on Abba Antoni and Iosia the layer of this mosaic and the father and mother of Iosia, Amen."
  • Dated: AD 532

References

  1. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 56
  2. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 57
  3. ^ Gideon Avni, The Byzantine-Islamic Transition in Palestine: An Archaeological Approach, p. 149, Oxford University Press, 2014
  4. ^ Dairat Al-Athar al-Ammah, Annual of the Department of Antiquities, p. 78
  5. ^ Michael Avi-Yonah, Ephraim Stern, Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land, V. 3, pp. 879-882
  6. ^ Hewitt, p. 4
  7. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 58
  8. ^ Louis Leloir, Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, p. 71, Secrétariat du Corpus SCO, 1976
  9. ^ Glen Warren Bowersock, Peter Brown, Oleg Grabar, Late Antiquity: A Guide to the Postclassical World, p. 466
  10. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 59
  11. ^ Monachesimo Studium Biblicum Franciscanum
  12. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 61

Bibliography

  • Hewitt, B.G. (1995). Georgian: A Structural Reference Grammar. John Benjamins Publishing. ISBN 978-90-272-3802-3.
  • Khurtsilava, Besik (2014). Georgian heritage on the Holy Land, Istoriani.
  • Wachtang Djobadze, Materials for the study of Georgian monasteries in the Western environs of Antioch on the Orontes, Volume 48; Volume 372, Corpussco, 1976
  • Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia, Volume. 7, pp. 651-652, Tbilisi, 1984
  • Giorgi Tsereteli, The oldest Georgian inscriptions from Palestine, Tbilisi, 1960
  • Le Destin de la Géorgie, Revue de Karthvélologie, 1961, p. 115
  • Chachanidze, V., Peter the Iberian and the archaeological excavations of Georgian monastery in Jerusalem, Tbilisi, 1974
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