34-37 (phs.) | |
(L. Di Segni) |
In the north-eastern corner of the main mosaic frame of the nave (Locus 322).
The centre of the nave is paved with a colourful mosaic of vine tendrils forming 36 medallions. In the north-eastern corner of the mosaic frame, an inscriptions is written across two medallions. Except for the last line, which is written solely in the right medallion, each line is written across the two medallions.
Εὐχαρισ[τοῦν]τες τοῦ
τ‹ό›που συνέκαμ‹ο›ν ἀρχη-
διακώνα Δημέτρις
4 Ζουργαεις Ὑπερέχεις
Ἡρακλῆς ὁμοδηά-
κονες.
In thanksgiving to this place, toiled together archdeacon Demetri(o)s, (and his) fellow-deacons Zurgai(o)s, Hyperechi(o)s, Heracles [or more likely Heracli(o)s].
Dedicatory inscription of Demetrius the archdeacon and his deacons, in the north-eastern corner of the central part of the mosaic pavement of the nave.
The inscription displays several iotacisms (Η for Ι, ΕΙ for Ι), loss of Ο in the ending –ios, the genitive instead of dative with εὐχαριστέω, the shift from Ο to Α in the aorist (συνέκαμαν for συνέκαμον), probably an influence of Arabic, common in this area, and the Aramaic-sounding addition of Α to the Greek word ἀρχιδιακών. ‘Toiled’ means that the paid for the mosaic, not that they did any physical work in the building or paving.