Umm Leisun inscription

The Umm Leisun inscription (Georgian: უმ ლეისუნის წარწერა) is the Old Georgian limestone tombstone slab inscription written in the Georgian Asomtavruli script which was discovered in 2002, after the renewal of 1996[1] excavation, at a Georgian monastery of the Byzantine period, in the neighborhood of Umm Leisun, 4.5 km southeast of the Old City of Jerusalem,[2] found in a burial crypt under the polychrome[3] mosaic floor.[4]

Umm Leisun inscription
MaterialLimestone
WritingOld Georgian inscription written in a Georgian script
Created5th or 6th century
Discovered2002
Present locationArchaeological Garden of Knesset, Israel Antiquities Authority, Jerusalem

In total about 24 interments were discovered in the crypt.[5] Per sex estimation for human skeletons, all of them were adult males, as would be expected in a monastery.[6] The occupant of the most important tomb identified by a Georgian inscription was a "Georgian bishop Iohane" (John in Old Georgian), who was also the oldest and his age underlined his special status.[7] He would have been aged 66 or 67 when he died, and had suffered from osteoporosis.[8] The inscription is the earliest known example for an ethnonym ႵႠႰႧႥႤႪႨ (kartveli i.e. Georgian) on any archaeological artifact, both in the Holy Land and in Georgia.[9][10]

The inscription covers an area of 81 × 49 cm cut into the tombstone. It is dated to the end of the 5th or the first half of the 6th century AD.[11] The inscription is kept at the Archaeological Garden of Knesset.[12]

Inscription

ႤႱႤႱႠႫႠႰႾႭჂ

ႨႭჀႠႬႤႴႭჃႰ
ႲႠႥႤႪႤႮႨႱႩႭႮႭ
ႱႨႱႠჂႵႠႰႧႥႤ

ႪႨႱႠჂ

  • Translation: "This is the grave of Iohane, Bishop of Purtavi, a Georgian."

See also

References
  1. Tchekhanovets, p. 304
  2. Seligman, p. 145
  3. Seligman, p. 146
  4. Seligman, p. 152
  5. Seligman, p. 157
  6. Tchekhanovets, p. 306
  7. Seligman, p. 158
  8. Khurtsilava, p. 26
  9. Tchekhanovets, p. 305
  10. Khurtsilava, p. 27
  11. Seligman, p. 162
  12. Seligman, p. 177

Bibliography
  • Seligman, J. (2015). "A Georgian Monastery from the Byzantine Period at Khirbat Umm Leisun, Jerusalem". ‘Atiqot. 83: 145–180.
  • Tchekhanovets, Y. (2014) Iohane, Bishop of Purtavi and Caucasian Albanians in the Holy Land
  • Khurtsilava, B. (2014) A Georgian Monastery of Purta, Istoriani
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