Bir el Qutt inscriptions

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Bir el Qutt inscriptions
Inscription — Jerusalem II Old Georgian.jpg
Inscription 1
MaterialMosaic
Size98 cm × 45 cm (39 in × 18 in) (inscription 1)[1]
WritingGeorgian script
CreatedAD 430
(1592 years ago) (430)
(inscription 1 & 2)
AD 532
(1490 years ago) (532)
(inscription 3)
Discovered1952, by Virgilio Canio Corbo
Present locationStudium Biblicum Franciscanum, Jerusalem
LanguageOld Georgian

The Bir el Qutt inscriptions[a] (Georgian: ბირ ელ ქუტის წარწერები) are the Old Georgian Byzantine mosaic inscriptions written in the Georgian Asomtavruli script which were excavated at a St. Theodore[2][3] Georgian monastery in 1952[4][5] by Italian archaeologist Virgilio Canio Corbo[6] near Bir el Qutt,[b] in the Judaean Desert, 6 km (3.7 mi) south-east of Jerusalem and 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Bethlehem.[7] The whole complex was built of reddish limestone.[8] The excavations has also revealed a monastery produced wine and olive oil.[9]

Georgian inscriptions were found on a mosaic floor.[10][11] Two inscriptions are dated AD 430 and the third one AD 532.[12][13] The inscriptions in memoriam mention Peter the Iberian[14] alongside his father, and also Bacurius the Iberian who is thought to be a possible maternal great-uncle[15] or grandfather of Peter.[16][17] Peter reputedly was the founder of the monastery.[18]

So far, the first two carvings are the oldest extant Georgian inscriptions.[19] The inscriptions are kept at the museum of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jerusalem.[20] Inscription 2 mentioning Peter the Iberian is currently missing.[21]

Inscriptions[]

Inscription 1[]

ႣႠႻႭჃႻ
ႤႭჃႪႬႨႫ
ႠႧႬႨႡႠ
ႩႭჃႰႣႠ
ႢႰႨႭႰႫ
ႨႦႣႣႠႬ
ႠႸႭႡႬႨ
ႫႠႧႬႨႵ
  • Translation: "Jesus Christ, have mercy on Bakur and Griormizd and their descendants."[22][23][24]
  • Dated: AD 430

Inscription 2[]

ႼႫႨႣႠႭႧႤႭႣႭႰ
ႤႫႠႰႬႣႠႡႭჃ
ႰႦႬႤႬႠႫႨ

Inscription 3[]

Inscription 3
ႸႤႼႤႥႬႨႧႠႵჁႱႨႧႠႣႠႫ
ႤႭႾႤႡႨႧႠႼႫႨႣႨႱႠႣႠႧႤჂႱႨႧႠ
ႸႬႠႬႲႭႬႨႠႡႠჂႣႠႨႭႱႨႠႫႭ
ႫႱႾႫႤႪႨႠႫႨႱႱႤႴႨႱႠჂႣႠႫႠ
ႫႠႣႤႣႠჂႨႭႱႨႠჂႱႨႠႫႤႬ
  • 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."[28][29][30]
  • Dated: AD 532

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^
    In Georgian scholarly works is known as the Georgian inscriptions of Palestine (Georgian: პალესტინის ქართული წარწერები).
  2. ^
    In Arabic Bir el Qutt (Arabic: بر القطعة) means "the well of the crag".[31]

References[]

  1. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 144
  2. ^ Corbo, p. 113
  3. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 26
  4. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 13
  5. ^ Corbo, p. 110
  6. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 6
  7. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 137
  8. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 138
  9. ^ Corbo, p. 2
  10. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 140
  11. ^ Corbo, pp. 8-136
  12. ^ Rayfield, p. 41
  13. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 17
  14. ^ Corbo, p. 130
  15. ^ Rayfield, p. 39
  16. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 24
  17. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 148
  18. ^ Rayfield, p. 40
  19. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 146
  20. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 141
  21. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 18
  22. ^ Tchekhanovets, pp. 144—145
  23. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 23
  24. ^ Corbo, pp. 137—138
  25. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 145
  26. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 19
  27. ^ Corbo, p. 138
  28. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 143
  29. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 16
  30. ^ Corbo, p. 135
  31. ^ Palmer, p. 289

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, ISBN 978-90-04-36224-6
  • Khurtsilava, B. (2018) Traces of the Georgians on the Holy Land, Tbilisi, ISBN 978-9941-8-0042-9
  • Palmer, E.H. (1881). The Survey of Western Palestine: Arabic and English Name Lists Collected During the Survey by Lieutenants Conder and Kitchener, R. E. Transliterated and Explained by E.H. Palmer. Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
  • Rayfield, D. (2013) Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia, Reaktion Books, ISBN 9781780230702

Further reading[]

  • Hewitt, B.G. (1995). Georgian: A Structural Reference Grammar. John Benjamins Publishing. ISBN 978-90-272-3802-3.
  • Djobadze, W. (1976) Materials for the study of Georgian monasteries in the Western environs of Antioch on the Orontes, Volume 48; Volume 372, Corpussco
  • Tsereteli, G. (1961) The oldest Georgian inscriptions from Palestine, Tbilisi, 1960
  • Chachanidze, V. (1977) Peter the Iberian and the archaeological excavations of Georgian monastery in Jerusalem, Tbilisi

External links[]

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