Decoration:
The medallions with “Bolnisi Cross” ornament are embossed on the opposite sides of the pedestal, the oval shape crosses are ornamented on the other couple of ornamentally carved arches and on the joining part of the side-facades there we see the Greek inscriptions.
Text: In the middle, from the 2nd line till the end there is an arch. w 18 x h 60 cm
Letters:
Embossed letters are mostly square shaped. The 1st line is on the entire side- facade. The inscription on the top of the arch is eroded. The next lines are interrupted by the arch. The left side of the lines is also eroded. The inscription contains six lines, the first four lines are shaped more freely, and the last two lines are fitted close together.
3 - 2,5 სმDate: VI-VII AD (lettering)
Findspot: Kazreti
Original location: Kazreti
Last recorded location(s): National Museum of Georgia
Text type:Unknown
Editor(s): Tinatin Kaukhchishvili
Publication details:ილიას სახელმწიფო უნივერსიტეტი, ლინგვისტურ კვლევათა ინსტიტუტი; Ilia State University, Institute of Linguistic Studies; დოკუმენტი ვრცელდება Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 ლიცენზიით.
Translation
Ch. By praying for Simeon and Avlianos and their household. God, have mercy on Theolores.
Commentary
According to the paleographic data ( α with broken crossbar, π - with horizontal line, square shape Ε, Ш) and linguistic characteristics (itacism, interchangeable ο||ω, βοήθει added to the verb in accusativus) the inscription can be dated to V-VIII AD. We can give a more precise date - VI-VII. According to the art historians the monument is V century (V. Japaridze); it is also considered that the Bolnisi Crosses are from the V-VI century, the side-facade inscriptions and oval shape crosses and ornamented arches are VIII-IX century (V. Dolidze). According to the other sources, Simeon and Avlianos as a sign of some achievement had erected this stele as a place for prayers for their house and family members, while Theodorus the craftsman of the stele and master is asking for the mercy from God.
Bibliography
საუერი, 1931 თინათინ ყაუხჩიშვილი, საქართველოს ბერძნული წარწერების კორპუსი, 257-258
Images
Fig. 1. Pedestal from Kazreti, 1964