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E00958: Four Greek monograms carved on a column, which may be understood as an invocation of *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033) as the God-Bearer. Found near Chalkedon/Chalcedon (Bithynia, north-west Asia Minor). Probably 6th c. or later.

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posted on 2015-12-09, 00:00 authored by pnowakowski

Hypothetical interpretation of four monograms carved on a column:

(Θεοτόκε, βοήθει τῷ δούλῳ σου
Ἰωσὴφ τῷ ἀθλίῳ)

'(God-Bearer, help your servant Ioseph, the miserable)!'

Text: I. Kalchedon, no. 107.

History

Evidence ID

E00958

Saint Name

Mary, Mother of Christ : S00033

Saint Name in Source

Θεοτόκος

Related Saint Records

https://oxford.figshare.com/articles/Mary_Mother_of_Christ/13729186

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Inscribed architectural elements Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)

Language

Greek

Evidence not before

500

Evidence not after

1300

Activity not before

500

Activity not after

1300

Place of Evidence - Region

Asia Minor

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Chalcedon

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Chalcedon Nicomedia Νικομήδεια Nikomēdeia Izmit Πραίνετος Prainetos Nicomedia

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Cult Activities - Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Other lay individuals/ people

Source

Four monograms inscribed on a column, found by Ioannes Miliopoulos before 1907 in the ruins to the east of Pendik (ancient Panteichion, area of Chalkedon / Chalcedon). Miliopoulos did not attempt to decipher them himself. A hypothetical interpretation was suggested to him by Henri Grégoire.

Discussion

The interpretation of the meaning of these monograms, suggested by Henri Grégoire is hypothetical, though not unjustified. Dating: This kind of invocation with the 'servant-of-saint' formula is usually dated to the 6th/8th c. or later, and is indeed common in the middle Byzantine period.

Bibliography

Edition: Die Inschriften von Kalchedon, no. 107. Miliopoulos, I., "Βυζαντιακαὶ τοποθεσίαι", Byzantinische Zeitschrift 16 (1907), 557. Further reading: Miliopoulos, I., "Βυζαντιναὶ τοποθεσίαι", Byzantinische Zeitschrift 29 (1929-1930), 245.