DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45613#0036
Division III Section B Part i
843. DER NAWA. .Convent, 598 a.d. The right half of a lintel, found among
the debris before the doorway in the western wall of the ruined convent, which is a
short distance northwest of the village: the doorway is between the convent church
and the tower. See Div. II, Ill. 10 and 12. The block is 1.28 m. long and 82 cm.
high : at the left end it is broken perpendicularly through the center of a disk, which
doubtless occupied the center of the lintel: the other sides are complete, except that
the bottom is somewhat damaged. The disk contained a cross, and, in the lower
quadrants, A and UJ. Both the disk and the inscription are in relief within a plain
border. The letters are 12 to 14 cm. high. Copy by Dr. Littmann.
+ 'Ετους tv. β',
μ.τ)(υος) Γορπιέου . +
+ In {the) year 910, indiction 2, month Gorpieos. + (September, 598 a.d.)
It is clear from this inscription that in this period in this locality the calendar
year began on the first of September, in order to coincide with the year of the indiction
series. See Waddington, Nos. 2667 and 2689 : also A. A. E. S. 111, No. 90.
844. Lintel (?). A fragment which is now used, upside down, as a lintel of a
doorway facing upon a courtyard west of the great church. It is i2 31/2cm. long, and
18 wide: it is broken at both ends, at the top, and probably also at the bottom.
Near the right end is the lower part of a square frame containing the lower part of
the upright arm of a cross with A and uu, one on either side. This frame is 35 cm.
over all: consequently the original stone must have been at least 40 cm. wide. Doubt-
less this was a lintel. The single word, which alone remains of the original inscription,
is 32 cm. long: it begins 9 cm. from the break at the left, and is followed by a blank
space, 17 cm. long: at the right of the frame containing the cross there is also a blank
space about 20 cm. long. The letters are from to I473cm. high. All the letters
and ornamentation are in relief. Copy by Dr. Littmann.
Perhaps this was the lintel of a church of St. Kosmas or Cosmas, a martyr
who was killed during the persecutions under Diocletian, and was greatly revered
in Syria, and in the East generally. The emperor Justinian, in the sixth century, is
known to have built several churches in honor of this saint. Kosmas and his brother
Damasos were physicians: they were said to have been Arabians by birth, and to
have lived for a time in Cilicia, where they met their death together. See Nos. 855
and 861.
843. DER NAWA. .Convent, 598 a.d. The right half of a lintel, found among
the debris before the doorway in the western wall of the ruined convent, which is a
short distance northwest of the village: the doorway is between the convent church
and the tower. See Div. II, Ill. 10 and 12. The block is 1.28 m. long and 82 cm.
high : at the left end it is broken perpendicularly through the center of a disk, which
doubtless occupied the center of the lintel: the other sides are complete, except that
the bottom is somewhat damaged. The disk contained a cross, and, in the lower
quadrants, A and UJ. Both the disk and the inscription are in relief within a plain
border. The letters are 12 to 14 cm. high. Copy by Dr. Littmann.
+ 'Ετους tv. β',
μ.τ)(υος) Γορπιέου . +
+ In {the) year 910, indiction 2, month Gorpieos. + (September, 598 a.d.)
It is clear from this inscription that in this period in this locality the calendar
year began on the first of September, in order to coincide with the year of the indiction
series. See Waddington, Nos. 2667 and 2689 : also A. A. E. S. 111, No. 90.
844. Lintel (?). A fragment which is now used, upside down, as a lintel of a
doorway facing upon a courtyard west of the great church. It is i2 31/2cm. long, and
18 wide: it is broken at both ends, at the top, and probably also at the bottom.
Near the right end is the lower part of a square frame containing the lower part of
the upright arm of a cross with A and uu, one on either side. This frame is 35 cm.
over all: consequently the original stone must have been at least 40 cm. wide. Doubt-
less this was a lintel. The single word, which alone remains of the original inscription,
is 32 cm. long: it begins 9 cm. from the break at the left, and is followed by a blank
space, 17 cm. long: at the right of the frame containing the cross there is also a blank
space about 20 cm. long. The letters are from to I473cm. high. All the letters
and ornamentation are in relief. Copy by Dr. Littmann.
Perhaps this was the lintel of a church of St. Kosmas or Cosmas, a martyr
who was killed during the persecutions under Diocletian, and was greatly revered
in Syria, and in the East generally. The emperor Justinian, in the sixth century, is
known to have built several churches in honor of this saint. Kosmas and his brother
Damasos were physicians: they were said to have been Arabians by birth, and to
have lived for a time in Cilicia, where they met their death together. See Nos. 855
and 861.