Complete
Linguistic features:
Formulae:
Name and function
Quotations from literary texts:
Dating:
AD 501
-
AD 1000
Language:
Syriac
Monumental:
Medium:
stone
Visible:
Accessible:
Has figural depiction:
Has iconoclastic damage:
Activities commemorated:
Name recorded
Funds:
Price:
Placement:
unknown
People mentioned:
Name:
TRSWNʾ/Tarsona, Tarasios, Tharson
Patronym:
Status:
unspecified
Ethnic allegance:
unspecified
Tribal allegane:
KṢLY/of the village of K/Ḥaṣel
Family status:
unspecified
Role:
Benefactor
Occupation:
unspecified
Age:
Gender:
male
Religion:
Christianity
Religious denomination:
unspecified
Language:
Syriac
Name:
NŠNṢ/Našnaṣ
Patronym:
Status:
unspecified
Ethnic allegance:
unspecified
Tribal allegane:
DMN TLRN/of Tell ʿAran
Family status:
unspecified
Role:
Benefactor
Occupation:
unspecified
Age:
Gender:
male
Religion:
Christianity
Religious denomination:
unspecified
Language:
Syriac
Description
date: sixth century or later: according to Paul Mouterde, later than the other inscription from this building, whcih he considered as post-seventh century because of the use of Arabic spelling of a name. description: reused in a private house at as-Safīra, in the same builidng as the other Syriac inscription. Their reuse in the same modern structure is the only hint that they may come from the same building – an unidentified church at the nearby settlement of el-Mouʿallaq (from where they were reportedly brought). The support is a rectangular basalt block. Decorated with a partly preserved tabula ansata. A rectangular hole penetrating the slab was made before the carving of the inscription. First published by Paul Mouterde in 1945. ed. Mouterde & Poidebard 1945, 222-223, no. 2 and Pl. CXX,5. Cf. TIB 15, p. 1672. ܛܪܣܘܢܐ ܠܟܨܠܝ ܢܫܢܨ ܕܡܢ ܬܠܪܢ + ‘Tarasona the Kaṣaliote, Našnaṣ of Tell ʿAran.’ (tr. P. Mouterde) commentary: Paul Mouterde is not certain about the readings in this inscription he supposes that it consists mainly of personal names. Mouterde identified the first name as a diminutive of Tarasios, or less probably Thrason. After the personal name, there comes probably the designation of his place of origin – the village of K/Ḥaṣel. The other person’s name is probably given in its Syriac form while it is originally the Arabic name Nasnas. The home village of this gentleman is Tell ʿAran. Both places lie close to as-Safīra and Mouterde thought that this made the readings more plausible. Another interpretation suggested by Mouterde is that the name of Našnaṣ was meant to be read at the end of the inscription (he concluded so as it was not in line with the rest of the text). If this interpretation is correct, the meaning of the text is changed: ‘Tarasona, the Kaṣaliote, of Tell ‘Aran, and Našnaṣ’.
Author:
Paweł Nowakowski
Added by:
Martyna
Created:
2022-12-31 22:19:41
Last update:
2023-11-13 21:40:12
Building:
Unidentified church
Condition: Reused in a private house at as-Safīra, in the same builidng as the other Syriac inscription. Their reuse in the same modern structure is the only hint that they may come from the same building – an unidentified church at the nearby settlement of el-Mouʿallaq (from where they were reportedly brought). The support is a rectangular basalt block. Decorated with a partly preserved tabula ansata. A rectangular hole penetrating the slab was made before the carving of the inscription.
Text:
Date: 501 CE - 1000 CE
Sixth century or later: according to Paul Mouterde, later than the other inscription from this building, whcih he considered as post-seventh century because of the use of Arabic spelling of a name.
Findspot: Unknown
Original location: Syria as-Safīra (Safīra; Safīrāʾ; Bersera?) 35.856042, 37.360082 Unidentified church unknown
Current repository: Unknown
Text type: inscription recorded names
Summary:
Inscription from a church in as-Safīra (Safīra; Safīrāʾ; Bersera?). 501 CE - 1000 CE.
Changes history: 2022-12-31 Pawel Nowakowski Creation; 2023-09-03 Pawel Nowakowski Last modification; 2023-11-06 Martyna Swierk Preparation of EpiDoc file
Publication details: University of Warsaw; Warsaw;
Available under licence CC-BY 4.0
; @2021Translation
‘Tarasona the Kaṣaliote, Našnaṣ of Tell ʿAran.’
(tr. P. Mouterde)
Commentary
Paul Mouterde is not certain about the readings in this inscription he supposes that it consists mainly of personal names.
Mouterde identified the first name as a diminutive of Tarasios, or less probably Thrason. After the personal name, there comes probably the designation of his place of origin – the village of K/Ḥaṣel. The other person’s name is probably given in its Syriac form while it is originally the Arabic name Nasnas. The home village of this gentleman is Tell ʿAran. Both places lie close to as-Safīra and Mouterde thought that this made the readings more plausible.
Another interpretation suggested by Mouterde is that the name of Našnaṣ was meant to be read at the end of the inscription (he concluded so as it was not in line with the rest of the text). If this interpretation is correct, the meaning of the text is changed: ‘Tarasona, the Kaṣaliote, of Tell ‘Aran, and Našnaṣ’.
Bibliography (edition)
- R., Mouterde, A., Poidebard, 1945, Le limes de Chalcis. Organisation de la steppe en haute Syrie romaine, Paris, 2 and Pl. CXX,5.
Bibliography
- TIB 15 K.-P., Todt, B. A., Vest, 2014, Tabula Imperii Byzantini, Vienna, 1672.