WP 0005

IRT2021
Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania 2021

1212. Christian funerary text (En-Ngila cemetery)

Description: Tomb of rubble, with a plaster surface.
Text: Inscribed on the south face.
Letters: Large clear uncial letters

Date: Late 10th-early eleventh century CE (context)

Findspot: Tripoli: Christian cemetery among the sand-dunes at en-Ngila; excavated in 1973.
Original location: Findspot
Last recorded location: Findspot

Interpretive

((crux)) In ok [tumulo] iaket corpus bone memorie Aba Laurentius monakus
dulkissimus. Bixit in pake annos plus minus LXIII. Rekessit [de ok sekulo]
sub d(ie) tertiu kalendas Dekember ind(ictio) XIII.

Diplomatic

INOK[......]IAKETCORPUSBONEMEMORIEABALAURENTIUSMONAKUS
DULKISSIMUSBIXITINPAKEANNOSPLUSMINUSLXIIIREKESSIT[..........]
SUBDTERTIUKALENDASDEKEMBERINDXIII

English translation

Translation by: Charlotte Roueché

In this tomb lies the body Abbot Laurentius, of good memory, a most gentle monk. He lived in peace more or less 63 years. He departed [from this world] on the third day of the kalends of December (i.e. 29 November) indiction 13.

Bibliography: Rizzardi, 1974, 520