Bir el Qutt inscriptions

Bir el Qutt inscriptions
Inscription 1 at the Terra Sancta Museum
MaterialMosaic
Size98 cm × 45 cm (39 in × 18 in) (inscription 1)[1]
WritingGeorgian script
CreatedAD 430
(1594 years ago) (430)
(inscription 1 & 2)
AD 532
(1492 years ago) (532)
(inscription 3 & 4)
Discovered1952, by Virgilio Canio Corbo
Present locationStudium Biblicum Franciscanum, Jerusalem
LanguageOld Georgian

The Bir el Qutt inscriptions[a] (Georgian: ბირ ელ ქუტის წარწერები, romanized: bir el kut'is ts'arts'erebi) are four[2] Old Georgian Byzantine mosaic inscriptions in the Asomtavruli script. They were excavated at a Saint Theodore Tiron[3][4] Georgian Orthodox monastery in 1952[5][6] by Italian archaeologist Virgilio Canio Corbo[7] near Bir el Qutt,[b] in the Judaean Desert, 6 km (3.7 mi) south-east of Jerusalem and 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Bethlehem.[8]

The complex was built of reddish limestone.[9] The excavations has also revealed a monastery which produced wine and olive oil.[10] Georgian inscriptions were found on a mosaic floor[11][12] decorated with geometrical and floral patterns.[13] The first two inscriptions are dated AD 430,[14][15] while the last two AD 532.[16] The excavations of Bir el Qutt conditioned discovery of inscriptions where only one has survived completely while others lack parts of the mosaic that suffered significant damage.[17] The inscriptions in memoriam mention Peter the Iberian[18] alongside his father, and also Bacurius the Iberian who is thought to be a possible maternal great-uncle[19] or grandfather of Peter.[20][21] Peter reputedly was the founder[22] or the renovator of the monastery.[23] Peter's aristocratic descent would allow him easy access to various persons of power and prestige in Constantinople, Jerusalem and other places,[24] to actively develop Georgian monastic establishments.[25] At the end of the eighth century the monastery was completely abandoned.[26]

So far, the first two carvings alongside the Georgian graffiti of Nazareth and Sinai are the oldest extant Georgian inscriptions.[27][28] The inscriptions are kept at the museum of the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jerusalem.[29] Inscription 2 mentioning Peter the Iberian is currently missing and is deemed to be lost.[30]

  1. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 144
  2. ^ Horn, p. 204
  3. ^ Corbo, p. 113
  4. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 26
  5. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 13
  6. ^ Corbo, p. 110
  7. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 6
  8. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 137
  9. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 138
  10. ^ Corbo, p. 2
  11. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 140
  12. ^ Corbo, pp. 8-136
  13. ^ De Gruyter, p. 605
  14. ^ Rayfield, p. 41
  15. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 17
  16. ^ De Gruyter, pp. 605-608
  17. ^ Khurtsilava (2017) p. 130
  18. ^ Corbo, p. 130
  19. ^ Rayfield, p. 39
  20. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 24
  21. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 148
  22. ^ Rayfield, p. 40
  23. ^ Khurtsilava (2017) pp. 140-141
  24. ^ Horn, pp. 1-2
  25. ^ Horn, p. 71
  26. ^ De Gruyter, pp. 605-606
  27. ^ De Gruyter, pp. 605-610
  28. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 146
  29. ^ Tchekhanovets, p. 141
  30. ^ Khurtsilava, p. 18