Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine Creator Michael Satlow Brown University Zoor 0387

Zoora, 2nd Century CE to 3rd Century CE. Tombstone. Funerary (Epitaph)

Whitish sandstone, rectangular in shape

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The text is painted over in red color. Calligraphic oval script with symmetrical letters except for a tiny omicron in the last sillable of the first line

 2nd Century CE to 3rd Century CE Negev Zoora An-naq' Cemetery

Taxonomies for IIP controlled values

Initial Entry Edited adding period attribute to date element, with Periodo value.

Ἰσμεήλῃ Ἀβδαρέτου, ΖωΐλοςἈλέβου, συμβίῳσυνβίῳ, εὐνοίας χάριν.

Zoilos, (son) of Alevos, (made this tomb) for his wife Ishmeele, (daughter) of Abdaretas, out of affection (for her).

The tombstone features an additonal inscription in Nabataean which reads: "This is the monument which Zoilos, son of 'Aleb, made for Ishma'in, his beloved wife, daughter of Abusalem, in the month of Siwan". The editors did not provide an edited transcription of the Nabataean text.The concluding phrase of the inscription, εὑνοίας χάριν, is a formula commonly used in honorary inscriptions as an expression of goodwill from the beneficiary. In this context, it reflects the feelings of affection of the surviving relatives towards the deceased. The Nabataean text reveals more about the funerary character of the inscription and also provides the Nabataean name of the month that Ishmeele died. The only difference between the two texts is the patronymic, which appears as Abdaretas in the Greek and Abusalem in the Nabataean.

Ἰσμεήλῃ Ἀβδαρέτου, Ζωΐλος Ἀλέβου, συνβίῳ εὐνοίας χάριν.

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