Linguistic features:
Formulae:
Quotations from literary texts:
date: 530s AD description: The multi-coloured mosaic is located on the south side of the central apse in the sacristy. Between the two (Greek to the right, CPA to the left) inscriptions is a representation of a palm tree. The palm is is flanked by pairs of goats, doves, and stylized plants. Dimension of the whole fragment of the mosaic is 343 x 315 x 15 cm. The first inscription (written in Greek): Σαωλα (Saôla). There are different readings of the second inscription and even doubts about the language used in it: 1. CPA (as suggested by Bar-Asher and presented in Hoyland 2010: 36, fig. 2.) ܒܫܝܠܡ - bšylm - In peace 2. CPA (as suggested by Puech 1984: 327) ܣܘܠܐ / ܣܝܠܐ - swlʾ / sylʾ - Saôla 3. CPA (as suggested by Milik 1959-1960: 159-160) ܢܝܚ ܫܘܙܒ - nyḥ šwzb - (Oh God) give repose (and) give salvation 4. Old Arabic (as sugessted by Sallar&Bagatti 1949: 171; and by Knauf 1984) بسلام - bi-salām - (Rest) in peace commentary (on the base of Hoyland 2010): The first inscription: the Greek inscription probably refers to a name Saolas. The same name occurs three times in the church of George (including this mention). According to one of these inscriptions, Saolas was an archdeacon. the second inscription: 1. CPA (as suggested by Bar Asher): Not impossible but requires accepting a number of unusual letter forms: š, l, m. 2. CPA (as suggested by Puech): Based on the assumption that the same text is present in both inscriptions, but it would imply a high level of incompetence and/or innovation on the part of the mosaicists. 3. CPA (as suggested by Milik): It is the most exact reading to explain all forms of the letters but some degree of mosaicists’ concern for the aesthetic appearance of the text must be taken into consideration. The ligature of w-z-b in the end is not excluded as a similar one is known in the CPA text from neighbouring ‘Ayoun Mousa (inscription 146 from the church of Kaianus, l. 3 – g-y-ʾ for the name of Gayyān). Furthermore, the phrase “(Oh God) give repose (and) give salvation” is similar to the common Greek formula: hyper sōtērias kai anapauseōs. 4. Old Arabic reading: much less convincing. It would be very ornamented but there is no examples of so early Arabic calligraphic styled inscription. Hoyland, R., Mount Nebo, Jabal Ramm, and the status of Christian Palestinian Aramaic and Old Arabic in Late Roman Palestine and Arabia, [in:] M.C.A. Macdonald (ed.), The development of Arabic as written language, Oxford, 2010, s. 29-46. Knauf A., Bemerkungen zur frühen Geschichte der arabischen Orthographie, Orientalia 53 (1984): 456–458. Milik, J.T., Notes d’épigraphie et de topographie jordaniennes. Liber Annuus 10 (1959–1960): 145–184. Puech E., L’inscription christo-palestinienne d’Ayoun Mousa (Mount Nebo), Liber Annuus 34 (1984): 319–328. Saller S.J. & Bagatti B., The Town of Nebo (Khirbet el-Mekhayyat): with a brief survey of other Christian monuments in Transjordan. (Publications of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum, 7), Jerusalem 1949.
Dimensions: surface: w 315 x h 343 x d 15 cm
Condition: The multi-coloured mosaic is located on the south side of the central apse in the sacristy. Between the two (Greek to the right, CPA to the left) inscriptions is a representation of a palm tree. The palm is is flanked by pairs of goats, doves, and stylized plants.
Text:
Date: AD 531 - AD 540
530s AD
Findspot: Unknown
Original location: Arabia Khirbat al-Mukhayyaṭ (Khirbet el-Muhatta; Khirbet el-Mekhayyat) 31.767778, 35.725278 Church of George sacristy on the south side of the central apse
Current repository: Unknown
Text type: funerary inscription
Summary:
Funerary inscription in CPA and Greek scripts from Khirbat al-Mukhayyaṭ (Khirbet el-Muhatta; Khirbet el-Mekhayyat). AD 531 - AD 540.
Changes history: 2022-11-19 Tomasz Barański, Karolina Tomczyszyn Creation; 2023-11-20 Martyna Swierk Last modification; 2023-11-20 Martyna Swierk Preparation of EpiDoc file
Publication details: University of Warsaw; Warsaw;
Available under licence CC-BY 4.0
; @2021There are different readings of the second inscription and even doubts about the language used in it:
1. CPA (as suggested by Bar-Asher and presented in Hoyland 2010: 36, fig. 2.):
ܒܫܝܠܡ
bšylm
2. CPA (as suggested by Puech 1984: 327):
ܣܘܠܐ / ܣܝܠܐ
swlʾ / sylʾ
3. CPA (as suggested by Milik 1959-1960: 159-160):
5ܢܝܚ ܫܘܙܒ
nyḥ šwzb
4. Old Arabic (as sugessted by Sallar and Bagatti 1949: 171; and by Knauf 1984): بسلام
bi-salām
THEREAREDIFFERENTREADINGSOFTHESECONDINSCRIPTIONANDEVENDOUBTSABOUTTHELANGUAGEUSEDINIT:
1CPA(ASSUGGESTEDBYBAR-ASHERANDPRESENTEDINHOYLAND2010:36FIG2):
ܒܫܝܠܡ
BŠYLM
2CPA(ASSUGGESTEDBYPUECH1984:327):
ܣܘܠܐ/ܣܝܠܐ
SWLʾ/SYLʾ
3CPA(ASSUGGESTEDBYMILIK1959-1960:159-160):
5ܢܝܚܫܘܙܒ
NYḤŠWZB
4OLDARABIC(ASSUGESSTEDBYSALLARANDBAGATTI1949:171ANDBYKNAUF1984):بسلام
BI-SALĀM
1. 'In peace'
2. 'Saôla'
3. '(Oh God) give repose (and) give salvation'
4. '(Rest) in peace'
The first inscription: the Greek inscription probably refers to a name Saolas. The same name occurs three times in the church of George (including this mention). According to one of these inscriptions, Saolas was an archdeacon. the second inscription:
1. CPA (as suggested by Bar Asher): Not impossible but requires accepting a number of unusual letter forms: š, l, m.
2. CPA (as suggested by Puech): Based on the assumption that the same text is present in both inscriptions, but it would imply a high level of incompetence and/or innovation on the part of the mosaicists.
3. CPA (as suggested by Milik): It is the most exact reading to explain all forms of the letters but some degree of mosaicists’ concern for the aesthetic appearance of the text must be taken into consideration. The ligature of w-z-b in the end is not excluded as a similar one is known in the CPA text from neighbouring ‘Ayoun Mousa (inscription 146 from the church of Kaianus, l. 3 – g-y-ʾ for the name of Gayyān). Furthermore, the phrase “(Oh God) give repose (and) give salvation” is similar to the common Greek formula: hyper sōtērias kai anapauseōs.
4. Old Arabic reading: much less convincing. It would be very ornamented but there is no examples of so early Arabic calligraphic styled inscription.