Ḥorvat Hesheq - ST. GEORGE

Church/Monastery name: 
Ḥorvat Hesheq - ST. GEORGE
Inscription number: 
2
Selected bibliography: 
381-382, no. 2 (ph.) (ed. pr.)
149, no. 218
136-137, fig. 1 (ph.)
Abbreviation for Journals and Series
Epigraphical corpora: 

SEG 40 (1990): 1445

Inscription type: 
commemorative
dedicatory
Location: 

In the mosaic pavement of the southern apsis, in front of a reliquary.

Physical description : 

Inscription in the mosaic pavement of the southern apsis, in front of a reliquary. Set in a thin black rectangular frame (35 x 120 cm). Inscription traced in black tesserae. Average height of the letters 6 cm (omicrons and theta smaller). Round script, with some square characters. Abbreviations: diagonal stroke; stigmas for abbreviation and καί; ligature of ΟΥ. The inscription begins with cross.

Text: 

☩ Ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας Δημητρίου διακ(όνου)

(καὶ) Γεοργίου υἱοῦ (καὶ) ἀναπαύσεος Σόμαδ(ος)

πατρὸς (καὶ) Δημητρίου (καὶ) Θεοδώρας πάπ(π)ων.

Translation: 

For the salvation of Demetrius the deacon and of George (his) son, and for the repose of Somas (his) father and of Demetrius and Theodora (his) grandparents.

Commentary: 

Γεοργίου for Γεωργίου. ἀναπαύσεος for ἀναπαύσεως. Somas is a Semitic name, not related to the Latin or Latinized Summus. Another Somas is mentioned in a dedicatory inscription from a church at Kh. Alya, less than 10 km to the north. The two men of this name may have been relatives belonging to a local family of some standing and wealth.

Date: 
early 6th cent.
Summary: 

Dedicatory and commemorative mosaic inscription of Demetrius the deacon and his son George and their family members, in front of the south apsis.

Contents
Ecclesiastical titles: 
deacon
Personal names: 
Demetrius, Georgius, Somas, Theodora
Kinship terms: 
father
son
grandparents
Epigraphical formulae: 
repose (anapausis, koimêsis)
salvation/preservation (sôtêria)
Epigraphical Abbreviations: 
stigmas for abbreviation and καί, small diagonal stroke for διακ(όνου), ΟΥ in ligature