E01016: Greek inscription on a boundary stone of a church dedicated to *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), as the God-Bearer and Virgin. Found at Malaya near Kırşehir (close to ancient Paranassos, Cappadocia, central Asia Minor). Probably late 5th or 6th c.

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posted on 2015-12-23, 00:00 authored by pnowakowski

ὅρυ τῆς ἁγί-
ας κὲ ἐνδό-
ξου Θεοτόκ-
ου κὲ παρθέ-
νου Μαρία-
ς π[α]ρασχεθ-
έντες παρὰ τ-
[οῦ] εὐσεβεσ-
[τάτου - - -]

'Boundaries (of the church) of the holy and glorious God-Bearer (Theotokos) and Virgin Mary, granted by the most pious [- - - ].'

Text and translation: French 2007, no. 13, lightly modified.

History

Evidence ID

E01016

Saint Name

Mary, Mother of Christ : S00033

Saint Name in Source

Θεοτόκος, Μαρία

Related Saint Records

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

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)

Language

Greek

Evidence not before

490

Evidence not after

600

Activity not before

490

Activity not after

600

Place of Evidence - Region

Asia Minor Asia Minor

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Kırşehir Parnassos

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

Kırşehir Nicomedia Νικομήδεια Nikomēdeia Izmit Πραίνετος Prainetos Nicomedia Parnassos Nicomedia Νικομήδεια Nikomēdeia Izmit Πραίνετος Prainetos Nicomedia

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - independent (church)

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Seeking asylum at church/shrine

Cult Activities - Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Monarchs and their family

Source

A grey marble stele, with rounded top and back, clearly a boundary stone. It was brought to the Kırşehir Museum from the Devlet Üretim Çiftliği (State Agricultural Farm) in Malaya (near Kırşehir, area of ancient Parnassos, Cappadocia, eastern Asia Minor) and inventoried in 1992 (inv. no. 6.2.92). The text is cut on a panel, below an encircled cross pattée. The lower part of the stone is broken and lost. Preserved dimensions: H. (front) 0.86 m; W. (at panel) 0.41 m; Th. (at bottom) 0.31 m; letter height 0.025-0.03 m. A squeeze and a photograph made by David French are kept at the British Institute at Ankara.

Discussion

The inscription marked the boundaries of a church/monastery or estate belonging to a church/monastery dedicated to Mary as the God-Bearer (Theotokos). Dating: probably late 5th or 6th c. (because of its similarity to other boundary stones, authorised by emperors of this period).

Bibliography

Edition: French, D.H., "Inscriptions from Cappadocia, II", Epigraphica Anatolica 40 (2007), no. 13. Reference works: L'Année épigraphique (2007), 1561. Bulletin épigraphique (2009), 645. Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum 57, 1717.