The Bolnisi inscriptions ( ka, ბოლნისის წარწერები, tr) are the
Old Georgian inscriptions written in the Georgian ''
Asomtavruli'' script on the
Bolnisi Sioni Cathedral, a
basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...
located in
Bolnisi
Bolnisi ( ka, ბოლნისი) is a city in the country of Georgia (country), Georgia, located in the Kvemo Kartli region and capital of the Bolnisi district. It currently has an estimated 8,348 (January 1, 2024) inhabitants.
History
Boln ...
, Bolnisi Municipality, Georgia. The inscriptions are dated AD 493/494. The construction of the basilica commenced in AD 478/479. Bolnisi inscription yields the most explicit reference to
Peroz I, the ''
Shahanshah
Shāh (; ) is a royal title meaning "king" in the Persian language.Yarshater, Ehsa, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII, no. 1 (1989) Though chiefly associated with the List of monarchs of Iran, monarchs of Iran, it was also used to refer to the ...
'' ("
King of Kings
King of Kings, ''Mepet mepe''; , group="n" was a ruling title employed primarily by monarchs based in the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. Commonly associated with History of Iran, Iran (historically known as name of Iran, Persia ...
") of the
Sasanian Empire
The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...
. Construction of the basilica might have been connected to the accession of Peroz; their builders being encouraged in their efforts by the
imperial construction projects.
Inscriptions
Inscription 1
::ႵႤႣႧႤႮႨႱႩႭႮႭႱႨႩႰႤႡႭ
::ჃႪႨႧႭჃႰႧႣႠႠႫႠႱႤႩ
::ႪႤႱႨႠႱႠ
bolnisi cross ႸႨႬႠႸႤႬႣ
::ႠႫႨႫႠ
bolnisi cross ႰႧႧႠჃ
::ႷႠႬႨႱႫ
bolnisi cross ႺႤႫႤႪ
::ႬႨႸႤႨႼႷ
bolnisi cross ႠႪႤႬႣႠ
::ႫႸႰႭႫႤႪႧႠႠႫႠႱႤႩႪႤ
::ႱႨႠႱႠႸႨႬႠႸႤႾႤႼႨႤႨႨ
::K(''risṭ'')e D(''avi'')t eṗisḳoṗosi ḳrebo-
::wlitowrt da amas eḳ-
::lesiasa šina šend-
::a mima rt taw-
::q̇anism- cemel-
::ni šeic̣q̇alen da
::mšromelta amas eḳle-
::siasa šina šexec̣ie ii
::Translation: Jesus Christ, have mercy on David the Bishop and those who built this church for your worship.
Inscription 2
::ႨႱႠႱႠႫႤႡႨႱႠჂႧႠႭႺႼႪႨႱႠႮႤႰႭႦႫႤႴ
::ႠႫႨႱႤႩႪႤႱႨႠჂႱႠჂႣႠႠႧႾႭჃႧႫႤႲႼႪႨႱ
::ႬႠႵႠႸႨႬႠႧႠჃႷႠႬႨႱႾႺႤႱႶႬႸႤႨႼႷႠႪႤႬႣႠႥႨႬႠ
::ႮႨႱႩႭႮႭႱႱႠႾႭჃႪႭႺႭႱႨႢႨႺႠႶႬႸႤႨႼႷႠႪႤ
::
'šec̣evnita c̣mid''sa samebisayta oc c̣lisa P̣eroz mep
'isa ze''::
'xikmna dac̣q̇ebaj''amis eḳlesiajsaj da atxowtmeṭ c̣lis
'a šemdgomad''::
'ganxešora vi'' aka šina tawq̇anis xces ġ(mertman) šeic̣q̇alen da vin a
'mis eḳl''::
'esiajsa D(avi)t e''ṗisḳoṗossa xowlocos igica ġ(mertma)n šeic̣q̇alen
'amēn''ref name="auto"/>
::Translation: With the mercy of Trinity, 20 years of reigning King
Peroz when founded this church and 15 years thereafter it was completed. God have mercy who show reverence herein, and the builder of this church David the Bishop, and who pray for you, o God have mercy, Amen.
[Rapp, pp. viii-40]
See also
*
Bir el Qutt inscriptions
The Bir el Qutt inscriptions ( ka, ბირ ელ ქუტის წარწერები, tr) are four Old Georgian Early Byzantine mosaics in the Middle East, Byzantine mosaic inscriptions in the ''Asomtavruli'' script. They were excavat ...
*
Georgian graffiti of Nazareth and Sinai
*
Umm Leisun inscription
References
Bibliography
*
Rapp, Stephen H. Jr. (2014) The Sasanian World through Georgian Eyes: Caucasia and the Iranian Commonwealth in Late Antique Georgian Literature,
Ashgate Publishing
Ashgate Publishing was an academic book and journal publisher based in Farnham (Surrey, United Kingdom). It was established in 1967 and specialised in the social sciences, arts, humanities and professional practice. It had an American office in ...
, {{ISBN, 978-1-4724-2552-2
Georgian inscriptions
5th-century inscriptions
490s
Kvemo Kartli
inscriptions
Peroz I