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Bir el Qutt inscriptions

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Bir El Qutt Georgian inscriptions
Inscription 1
MaterialMosaic
WritingGeorgian language inscriptions written in a Georgian script
Created430 AD (two inscriptions)
532 AD (third inscription)
Discovered1953 by Virgilio Canio Corbo
Present locationStudium Biblicum Franciscanum, Jerusalem

The Bir El Qutt inscriptions (Georgian: ბირ ელ ყუტის წარწერები) are the Georgian language inscriptions written in the Georgian Asomtavruli script which were excavated at a Georgian monastery in 1953 by an Italian archaeologist Virgilio Canio Corbo near Bir El Qutt, 6 km south-east of Jerusalem and 2 km north of Bethlehem. Georgian inscriptions were found on a mosaic floor. Two inscriptions are dated 430 AD and the third one 532 AD.

The monastery where the inscriptions were excavated was founded or rebuilt by the Georgian philosopher and royal prince Peter the Iberian. One of the inscriptions mentions him with his father. The other inscription mentions Bacurius the Iberian who is thought to be a possible grandfather of Peter.

As of 2014, the first two carvings are the oldest extant Georgian inscriptions. The inscriptions are kept at the museum of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jerusalem.

Inscriptions

Inscription 1

ႣႠ ႻႭჃႻ

ႤႭჃႪႬႨ Ⴋ
ႠႧႬႨ ႡႠ
ႩႭჃႰ ႣႠ
ႢႰႨ ႭႰႫ
ႨႦႣ ႣႠ Ⴌ
ႠႸႭႡႬႨ

ႫႠႧႬႨ Ⴕ

  • Translation: "Jesus Christ, have mercy on Bakur and Griormizd and their descendants."
  • Dated: 430 AD

Inscription 2

ႼႫႨႣႠႭ ႧႤႭႣႭႰ

Ⴄ ႫႠႰ Ⴌ ႣႠ ႡႭჃ

ႰႦ Ⴌ ႤႬ ႠႫႨ

  • Translation: "Saint Theodore, have mercy on Maruan and Burzen, Amen."
  • Dated: 430 AD

Inscription 3

Inscription 3 is dated 532 AD.

ႸႤႼႤႥႬႨႧႠ Ⴕ ჁႱႨႧႠ ႣႠ Ⴋ

ႤႭႾႤႡႨႧႠ ႼႫႨႣႨႱႠ ႣႠ Ⴇ ႤჂႱႨႧႠ
ႸႬ ႠႬႲႭႬႨ ႠႡႠჂ ႣႠ ႨႭႱႨႠ ႫႭ
ႫႱႾႫႤႪႨ ႠႫႨႱ ႱႤႴႨႱႠჂ ႣႠ ႫႠ

ႫႠ ႣႤႣႠჂ ႨႭႱႨႠჂႱႨ ႠႫႤႬ

  • Translation: "With the help of Jesus Christ and Saint Theodore, God have mercy on Abba Antoni and Iosia the layer of this mosaic and the mother and father of Iosia, Amen."
  • Dated: 532 AD

References

  1. Gideon Avni, The Byzantine-Islamic Transition in Palestine: An Archaeological Approach, p. 149, Oxford University Press, 2014
  2. Dairat Al-Athar al-Ammah, Annual of the Department of Antiquities, p. 78
  3. Michael Avi-Yonah, Ephraim Stern, Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land, V. 3, pp. 879-882
  4. Hewitt, p.4
  5. Louis Leloir, Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium, p. 71, Secrétariat du Corpus SCO, 1976
  6. Glen Warren Bowersock, Peter Brown, Oleg Grabar, Late Antiquity: A Guide to the Postclassical World, p. 466
  7. Monachesimo Studium Biblicum Franciscanum

Bibliography

  • Hewitt, B.G. (1995). Georgian: A Structural Reference Grammar. John Benjamins Publishing. ISBN 978-90-272-3802-3.
  • Wachtang Djobadze, Materials for the study of Georgian monasteries in the Western environs of Antioch on the Orontes, Volume 48; Volume 372, Corpussco, 1976
  • Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia, Volume. 7, pp. 651-652, Tbilisi, 1984
  • Giorgi Tsereteli, The oldest Georgian inscriptions from Palestine, Tbilisi, 1960
  • Le Destin de la Géorgie, Revue de Karthvélologie, 1961, p. 115
  • Chachanidze, V., Peter the Iberian and the archaeological excavations of Georgian monastery in Jerusalem, Tbilisi, 1974
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