core black, front dark red (slipped), back red and grey; decoration black and white (painted)
Text colour
yellow and purple
Lines
14 (16 reconstructed)
Height of letters
1.6–2.5
Description
Seven fragments, two joining (a+b), of undoubtedly the same round-topped plaque. Fragments (a+b): upper left margin; (c) and (d): central right margin; (e)+(f): left lower part, no margins; (f): lower right corner. The epigraphic field framed by a raised border ca. 2 cm wide, leaving a broad uninscribed outer margin (3.5 cm at the bottom, 2–3 cm at the top and on the right, 3.5–4 in top left part). The text ruled with incised lines, forming registers of 2.5–3 cm.
Porous Nile clay with organic and mineral admixture (mica, quartzite).
Decorative elements
The raised border decorated with a zigzag line with dots in the bottom margin and an X-pattern with dots in the side margins. The zigzag decoration painted purple, the X-pattern painted purple and yellow alternatively (no traces of paint in fragment [e]). The letters and ruling lines painted alternatively yellow in odd lines and purple in even lines.
State of preservation
fragmentary; seven fragments from different parts of stela
Central part of a slab with parts of both side margins preserved. The epigraphic field framed by an incised line, leaving the margins of ca. 1.5 cm. The surface is heavily worn, especially in the left part, seriously affecting the reading.
Decorative elements
State of preservation
fragment from middle of stela, with part of right and left margins preserved; surface much damaged
roughly rectangular plaque; letters engraved by the means pointing with the chisel; no ruling; towards bottom left sides of lines tending to slide down in respect to right sides; above line 1 vague line of points marking beginning of text
Decorative elements
State of preservation
lower left corner lacking
Date
550–999
Chronological systems
Egyptian calendar indiction
Dating formulae
ⲙⲏ[ⲛⲓ ⲑⲱⲑ] ⲅ ⲓ̈ⲛⲇ⸌ⲟ⸍ ⲓⲉ
Transcription
"(in the) month of [Thoth], (day) 3, in the 15th indiction" (ll. 13-14)
I. Khartoum Copt. prints wrong museum number (234848) year 423 from Diocletian was a leap year, lasting one day longer; 6th Constantinopolitan indiction began on 1 August 707 and Egyptian on 1 May 707
Material
sandstone
Object dimensions
H: 77; W: 51; Th: 27
Text dimensions
Object colour
grey
Text colour
Lines
26
Height of letters
1.5-2.5
Description
rectangular block; roughly rectangular epigraphic field framed by raised borders on top, left and right sides
Decorative elements
State of preservation
complete
Date
1 May 707–29 August 707
Chronological systems
regnal years indiction (Egyptian) Era of Diocletian
Jakobielski 1966b, pp. 99–106, fig. 2; I. Faras Greek 1, fig. 1
Other publications
Michałowski 1964a, pp. 197–199, pl. 39b; Michałowski 1967, pp. 65–67; Jakobielski 1969, p. 500, fig. 2; Vantini 1970, pp. 186–188; I. Faras Copt., pp. 35–51; Rostkowska 1982, pp. 208–209 (partial transcription and translation); Munro-Hay 1982/3, pp. 97–99; Łajtar 1999, p. 162 (no. 117); Van der Vliet 1999b, pp. 84–97; Catalogue Vienna 2002, pp. 99–100 (no. 31), fig. on p. 101; Felle 2003, p. 86; Brakmann 2006, pp. 311–314; CSCN, table 11 on p. 71, pp. 74, 110, 115, 116, 121, 210, 212; Werner 2013, p. 82; Catalogue Warsaw 2014, pp. 64–65 (with fig.); Hendrickx 2019, pp. 7–8 (text and translation), 10–13 (discussion); Obłuski 2019, p. 272
Jakobielski 1965, p. 164 (no. 2), fig. 86; I. Faras Greek 2, fig. 2; Rostkowska 1982, p. 209
Other publications
Bull. épigr. 1966, 498, p. 17, n. 57; I. Faras Copt., pp. 48–9; Łajtar 1999, p. 162 (no. 118); van der Vliet 1999b, pp. 86–7; Catalogue Vienna 2002, p. 121 (no. 53), fig. on p. 120; Catalogue Warsaw 2014, pp. 68–9 (with fig.)
I. Faras Copt., pp. 62–3, 202, fig. 72; I. Faras Greek 3, fig. 4
Other publications
Quecke 1975, p. 458; Jakobielski 1975a, p. 325; Hagedorn 1976, p. 184; Łajtar 1999, p. 162 (no. 121); Richter 2002, p. 178; CSBE(2), p. 75; Brakmann 2006, p. 301; Hägg 2010a, pp. 619–20; Richter 2013, p. 148; Catalogue Warsaw 2014, pp. 102–3 (with fig.)
funerary complex of bishops south of cathedral, in situ in central tomb
Excavation no.
F 382/62-63 (neg. no. Fa.62/3.0822)
Present location
National Museum, Warsaw
Museum no.
234647
Medium
stela
Technique
incised
Type of text
epitaph
Language
Greek
Content
epitaph of Ignatios, bishop
Date
23 January 802
Notes
World Creation and Incarnation Eras in a version counted from 29 August; weekday correct
Material
marble
Object dimensions
H: 47; W: 40
Text dimensions
Object colour
white
Text colour
Lines
16
Height of letters
Description
rectangular slab; epigraphic field framed by incised line; text divided by ruling; last part of text running around main part; type of script without analogies in Nubia
Decorative elements
State of preservation
complete
Date
23 January 802
Chronological systems
Era of the World Creation Era of the Incarnation Egyptian calendar day of the week indiction Era of Diocletian
"in the month of Tybi, (day) 28, Sunday, (in the) year from the creation of the world 6294, (in the) year from Diocletian 518, in the 10th indiction" (ll. 5–6) "in (the year from) the sojourn of Christ (on earth) 794" (l. 16)
I. Faras Copt., pp. 70–72, 202–205, fig. 73; I. Faras Greek 4, fig. 5
Other publications
Michałowski 1964a, p. 196; Michałowski 1967, p. 74; Jakobielski 1969, pp. 501–2, fig. 4; Quecke 1975, p. 458; Jakobielski 1975a, p. 325; Hagedorn 1976, p. 184; Catalogue Hamm 1996, p. 130 (no. 88); Donadoni 1984, p. 16; Łajtar 1999, p. 162 (no. 122); Łajtar 2001a, p. 332; Catalogue Vienna 2002, pp. 100–101 (no. 32), fig. on p. 102; CSBE(2), p. 76, n. 50, p. 316; CSCN, pp. 122, 192, 193, 199, table 47 on p. 337; Catalogue Warsaw 2014, pp. 98–9 (with fig.); Łajtar 2020c, pp. 262–263, 270–271
cathedral, western group of bishops’ tombs, immured in the western façade of the cathedral, above the tomb
Excavation no.
F 390/62-63 (neg. nos. Fa.61/2.0660, Fa.61/2.0759, Fa.62/3.0823)
Present location
National Museum, Warsaw
Museum no.
234646
Medium
stela
Technique
incised
Type of text
epitaph
Language
Greek
Content
epitaph of Stephanos, bishop
Date
14 July 926
Notes
the 532-year cycle ended on 24 March 893 but the redactor did not stop counting years; the epacts agree with the rest of the date (15th year of the Metonic 19-year lunar cycle, in which there are 4 epact days); lunar day incorrect – 1 earlier than Alexandrian cycle; weekday correct
Material
marble
Object dimensions
H: 41; W: 42; Th: 2.9
Text dimensions
Object colour
white
Text colour
part of letters painted red
Lines
18
Height of letters
c. 2
Description
trapezoid plaque
Decorative elements
part of letters painted red forming cross in the middle of epigraphic field
State of preservation
complete
Date
14 July 926
Chronological systems
Egyptian calendar day of the week Era of the World Creation Era of the Incarnation lunar calendar indiction (Constantinopolitan) Alexandrian cycle of 532 years Era of Diocletian
"in moth of Epeiph, (day) 20, Preparation Day (= Friday), from the creation of the world year 6418, period, (year) 566, in the 14th indiction, (year) from (the birth) of Christ 918, (year) from Diocletian 642" (ll. 5–8) "in 4 epacts, on the 1st moon (day)" (l. 18)
Jakobielski 1965, p. 168, no. 4, figs. 45, 88; I. Faras Greek 6, fig. 7
Other publications
Michałowski 1962c, p. 120; Michałowski 1963b, pp. 244, 248, pl. 58b; Michałowski 1964b, p. 86, fig. 40; Michałowski 1965a, pp. 72–6 (context), fig. 45; Jakobielski 1969, pp. 501–2; I. Faras Copt., pp. 104–6; Quecke 1975, pp. 458–9; Hagedorn 1976, p. 184; Bagnall – Worp 1986, no. 1, passim, esp. p. 350; Łajtar 1999, p. 162, no. 123; Catalogue Vienna 2002, p. 105, no. 34, fig. on p. 104; CSBE(2), p. 79, n. 75, pp. 313–14, no. 2, p. 316; Ochała 2011b, p. 222, no. 9; CSCN, pp. 115, 122, 193, 196–7, 199, 311, table 47 on p. 337; Catalogue Warsaw 2014, pp. 104–5 (with fig.)