Jvari inscriptions

Jvari inscriptions
Inscription 3
Material	Relief
Size	87/101 x 138 cm (inscription 1) 87/122 x 138 cm (inscription 2) 86/170 x 122 cm (inscription 3) 70/80 x 130 cm (inscription 4)
Writing	Georgian script
Created	AD c. 595-605
Present location	Jvari Monastery
Language	Old Georgian

The Jvari inscriptions (Georgian: ჯვრის წარწერები, romanized: jvris ts'arts'erebi) are the Old Georgian inscriptions written in the Georgian Asomtavruli script on the Jvari Monastery, a basilica located near Mtskheta, Georgia. Per Professor Wachtang Djobadze, inscriptions mention Georgian princes Stephen I of Iberia, Demetrius the Hypatos and Adarnase I of Iberia, however, Professor Cyril Toumanoff disagrees with this view and identifies these individuals with Stephen II of Iberia, Demetrius and Adarnase II of Iberia, respectively. Inscriptions are dated to the late sixth-early seventh centuries.

Inscriptions

Inscription 1

Ⴍ ႫႠႺ

ႭႥႰႨႱႠ

Ⴍ ႱႲႤႴႠႬႭ

Ⴑ ႵႠႰႧႪႨႱ

Ⴀ ႮႠႲႰႨ

ႩႨႭႱႨ ႸႤ

Translation: "Cross of Our Savior, have mercy on Stephanoz, the patrikios of Kartli."

Inscription 2

ႼႭ

ႫႵ Ⴊ Ⴋ

ႧႠႥႠႰႠႬႢႤႪႭႦႭ

ႣႤႫႤႲႰ

ႤႱ ჃႮႠ

ႲႭႱႱ

Ⴀ ႫႤႭ

Ⴞ ႾႤႷ

ႠႥ

Translation: "Holy Michael Archangel, have mercy on Demetre the hypatos."

Inscription 3

ႼႭ ႢႰႪ

ႫႧႠႥ

ႠႬႢႤႪႭ

Ⴍ ႠႣႰ

ႰႱႤႱ ჃႮႠႲ

ႭႱႱႠ ႫႤႭႾ

ႤႷႠႥ

Translation: "Holy Grigol Archangel, have mercy on Adarnase the hypatos."

Inscription 4

ႼႭ ႱႲႤ

ႵႭႡႳႪ

ႱႲႨ

ႸႤ

Translation: "Holy Stephen, have mercy on Kobul Stephanoz."

See also

• Bir el Qutt inscriptions
• Bolnisi inscriptions

Bibliography

• Epigraphic Corpus of Georgia (ECG) Project, Institute of Linguistic Studies, Ilia State University
• Rapp, Stephen H. (2014) The Sasanian World Through Georgian Eyes, Caucasia and the Iranian Commonwealth in Late Antique Georgian Literature, Routledge, ISBN 9781472425522