Complete
Linguistic features:
Formulae:
Quotations from literary texts:
Puech (2003), p. 321 suggests that 'a merciful and pure heart' can probably refer to Mt 5:7-8 ('Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God').
Dating:
AD 451
-
AD 700
Language:
Christian Palestinian Aramaic
Monumental:
Medium:
mosaic
Visible:
Accessible:
Has figural depiction:
Has iconoclastic damage:
Activities commemorated:
; Votive offering
Funds:
Price:
Placement:
south-east annex of the church
People mentioned:
Description
date: 5th – 7th century AD description: The mosaic made out of black and beige tesserae lies in the south-east annex of the east church. The CPA inscription is located between two concentric lines of bigger and smaller circles. There is a cross-like ornament inside the smaller circle that consists of arcs of circles. The circumference is not preserved in whole, as its northern half is destroyed. However, it is possible to reconstruct the size of the circle and as a result the length of the inscription. The text is well adjusted for the reader that is entering the room through the door opening (visible at the plan in the south-west end of the room The letters of the inscription are almost always separated with two exceptions only. Sometimes, there is no differentiation between final and medial letter forms. For instance, mim can be compared with two forms of the letter nun. Therefore, it cannot be excluded that the inscription was reconstructed. ܬܘ(ܒ ܠܢ ܡܪܐ ܝܣܘܣ ܠܒ ܪܚܝ)ܡ ܘܢܩܐ ܠܒ ܡܠܐ ܒܚܙܩܢܢ tw[b ln mrʾ ysws lb rḥy]m wnqʾ lb mlʾ bḥzqnn 'Restaur[e en nous, Seigneur Jésus, un cœur miséri]cordieux et pur, un cœur débordant pendant notre pérégrination.' English translation: 'Restore to us, Lord Jesus, a merciful and pure heart, an overflowing heart during our pilgrimage.' (by Puech 2003, p. 321) commentary: The unpreserved part of the inscription is reconstructed as a Christological formula. It is believed by Puech (2003, p. 321) to be the most probable solution. 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, p. 29-46. Puech, E., L’inscription christo-palestinienne du Ouadi Rajib-Ajloun et de nouvelles inscriptions christo-palestiniennes de Jordanie, [in:] G.C. Bottini, L. di Segni & L.D. Chrupcala (eds), One Land Many Cultures; Jerusalem: Franciscan Press 2003, pp. 317–325.
Author:
Tomasz Barański, Karolina Tomczyszyn
Added by:
Paweł Nowakowski
Created:
2023-01-15 10:14:22
Last update:
2025-04-06 18:58:41
Building:
East Church
Dimensions: surface: cm
Condition: The mosaic made out of black and beige tesserae lies in the south-east annex of the east church. The CPA inscription is located between two concentric lines of bigger and smaller circles. There is a cross-like ornament inside the smaller circle that consists of arcs of circles. The circumference is not preserved in whole, as its northern half is destroyed. However, it is possible to reconstruct the size of the circle and as a result the length of the inscription. The text is well adjusted for the reader that is entering the room through the door opening (visible at the plan in the south-west end of the room
Text: The letters of the inscription are almost always separated with two exceptions only. Sometimes, there is no differentiation between final and medial letter forms. For instance, mim can be compared with two forms of the letter nun. Therefore, it cannot be excluded that the inscription was reconstructed.
Date: 401 CE - 700 CE
5th – 7th century AD
Findspot: Unknown
Original location: Arabia al-Saʿnah (Dayr al-Saʿnah) 32.537863, 35.719967 East Church south-east annex of the church
Current repository: Unknown
Text type: votive inscription
Summary:
Christian votive inscription on mosaic in CPA script from al-Saʿnah (Dayr al-Saʿnah). AD 401 - AD 700.
Changes history: 2023-01-15 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
; @2021Translation
'Restaur[e en nous, Seigneur Jésus, un cœur miséri]cordieux et pur, un cœur débordant pendant notre pérégrination.'
'Restore to us, Lord Jesus, a merciful and pure heart, an overflowing heart during our pilgrimage.'
(by Puech 2003, p. 321)
Commentary
The unpreserved part of the inscription is reconstructed as a Christological formula. It is believed by Puech (2003, p. 321) to be the most probable solution.
Bibliography
- R., Hoyland, 2010, 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, The development of Arabic as written language, Jerusalem, 29-46. E., Puech, 2003, L’inscription christo-palestinienne du Ouadi Rajib-Ajloun et de nouvelles inscriptions christo-palestiniennes de Jordanie, [in:] G.C., Bottini, L., di Segni, L.D., Chrupcala, One Land Many Cultures, Jerusalem, 317–325.