Bir el Qutt inscriptions

The Bir el Qutt inscriptions[a] (Georgian: ბირ ელ ქუტის წარწერები) are the Old Georgian Byzantine mosaic inscriptions written in the Georgian Asomtavruli script which were excavated at a St. Theodore[2] Georgian monastery in 1952[3][4] by Italian archaeologist Virgilio Canio Corbo[5] near Bir el Qutt, in the Judaean Desert, 6 km (3.7 mi) south-east of Jerusalem and 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Bethlehem.[6] The whole complex was built of reddish limestone.[7]

Bir el Qutt inscriptions
Inscription 1
MaterialMosaic
Size98 cm × 45 cm (39 in × 18 in) (inscription 1)[1]
WritingGeorgian script
CreatedAD 430 (inscription 1 & 2)
AD 532 (inscription 3)
Discovered1952, by Virgilio Canio Corbo
Present locationStudium Biblicum Franciscanum, Jerusalem
LanguageOld Georgian

Georgian inscriptions were found on a mosaic floor.[8][9] Two inscriptions are dated AD 430 and the third one AD 532.[10][11] The inscriptions in memoriam mention Peter the Iberian[12] alongside his father, and also Bacurius the Iberian who is thought to be a possible maternal great-uncle[13] or grandfather of Peter.[14][15] Peter reputedly was the founder of the monastery.[16]

So far, the first two carvings are the oldest extant Georgian inscriptions.[17] The inscriptions are kept at the museum of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jerusalem.[18] Inscription 2 mentioning Peter the Iberian is currently missing.[19]

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."[20][21][22]
  • Dated: AD 430

Inscription 2

ႼႫႨႣႠႭ ႧႤႭႣႭႰ

Ⴄ ႫႠႰ Ⴌ ႣႠ ႡႭჃ

ႰႦ Ⴌ ႤႬ ႠႫႨ

Inscription 3
Inscription 3

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 Antony and Iosia the layer of this mosaic and the father and mother of Iosia, Amen."[26][27][28]
  • Dated: AD 532

See also

Notes
  1. ^
    In Georgian scholarly works is known as the Georgian inscriptions of Palestine (Georgian: პალესტინის ქართული წარწერები).

References
  1. Tchekhanovets, p. 144
  2. Khurtsilava, p. 26
  3. Khurtsilava, p. 13
  4. Corbo, p. 110
  5. Khurtsilava, p. 6
  6. Tchekhanovets, p. 137
  7. Tchekhanovets, p. 138
  8. Tchekhanovets, p. 140
  9. Corbo, p. 136
  10. Rayfield, p. 41
  11. Khurtsilava, p. 17
  12. Corbo, p. 130
  13. Rayfield, p. 39
  14. Khurtsilava, p. 24
  15. Tchekhanovets, p. 148
  16. Rayfield, p. 40
  17. Tchekhanovets, p. 146
  18. Tchekhanovets, p. 141
  19. Khurtsilava, p. 18
  20. Tchekhanovets, pp. 144—145
  21. Khurtsilava, p. 23
  22. Corbo, pp. 137—138
  23. Tchekhanovets, p. 145
  24. Khurtsilava, p. 19
  25. Corbo, p. 138
  26. Tchekhanovets, p. 143
  27. Khurtsilava, p. 16
  28. Corbo, p. 135

Bibliography
  • Corbo, V. C. (1955) Gli scavi di Kh. Siyar el-Ghanam (Campo dei pastori) e i monasteri dei dintorni, Tip. dei PP. Francescani
  • Tchekhanovets, Y. (2018) The Caucasian Archaeology of the Holy Land: Armenian, Georgian and Albanian communities between the fourth and eleventh centuries CE, Brill Publishers, ISBN 978-90-04-36224-6
  • Khurtsilava, B. (2018) Traces of the Georgians on the Holy Land, Tbilisi, ISBN 978-9941-8-0042-9
  • Rayfield, D. (2013) Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia, Reaktion Books, ISBN 9781780230702

Further reading
  • Hewitt, B.G. (1995). Georgian: A Structural Reference Grammar. John Benjamins Publishing. ISBN 978-90-272-3802-3.
  • Djobadze, W. (1976) Materials for the study of Georgian monasteries in the Western environs of Antioch on the Orontes, Volume 48; Volume 372, Corpussco
  • Tsereteli, G. (1961) The oldest Georgian inscriptions from Palestine, Tbilisi, 1960
  • Chachanidze, V. (1977) Peter the Iberian and the archaeological excavations of Georgian monastery in Jerusalem, Tbilisi
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