INSCRIPTIONS
43
INSCRIPTIONS
marble; if merely scratched on the stone, the Italian
word ijraffito is used; a painted inscription is called
dipinto, and a mosaic inscription — siicli as are found
largely in North Africa, Spain, and the East —hears
the name oinpux muxirum. It was a common practice
in Greek and Latin lands to make use of slalis already
inscribed, i. e. to take the reverse of a slal) containing
a heathen inscription for the inscribing of a Christian
one; such a slab is called an opisthograph. The form
of the Christian inscriptions does not differ from that
of the contemporary pagan inscriptions, except when
sepulchral in character, and then only in the case of
the tiluli of the catacomlis. The most common form
in the East was the upright "stele" (Gk.i7T^X7;,a lilock
or slab of stone), frequently ornamented with a fillet
or a projecting curved moulding; in the West a slab
for the closing of the grave was often used. Thus the
greater number of the graves (loculi) in the catacombs
were closed with thin, rectangular slabs of terra-cotta
or marble; the graves called arcosolia were co\'ered
with heavy, flat slalis, while on the sarcophagi a panel
(tabula) or a disk (discus) was frequently reserved on
the front wall for an inscription.
The majority of the early Christian inscriptions, viewed from a technical and palaeographical stand- point, give evidence of arti.stic decay: this remark ap- plies especially to the tituli of the catacombs, which are, as a rule, less finely executed tlian the heathen work of the same time. A striking exception is formed by the Damasine letters introduced in the fourth cen- tury by FuriusDionysiusFilocalus, the calligraphist of Pope Damasus I (q. v.). The other forms of letters did not vary essentially from those employed by the ancients. The most important was the classical capi- tal writing, customary from the time of Augustus; from the fourth century on it was gradually replaced by the uncial writing, the cursive characters being more or less confined to the graffito inscriptions. As to the language, Latin inscriptions are the most numer- ous' in the East Greek was commonly employed, in- teresting dialects being occasionally found (e. g. in the recently deciphered Christian inscriptions from Nubia in Southern Egypt). Special mention should also be made of the Coptic inscriptions. The text is very often shortened by means of signs and abbreviations. Spe- cifically Christian abbreviations were found side by side with the usual pagan contractions at an early date. One of the most common of the latter, " D. M." (i. e. Diis Manibus, to the protecting Deities of the Lower World), was stripped of its pagan meaning, and adopted in a rather mechanical way among the for- mula; of the early Christians. In many cases the dates of Christian inscriptions must be judged from circum- stances; when the date is given, it is the consular year. The method of chronological computation varied in different countries. Our present Dionysian chro- nology (see Chronology; DioxYsius ExiGDUs) does not appear in the early Christian inscriptions.
Sepolchr.\l In.scriptions. — The earliest of these epitaphs are characterized by their brevity, only the name of the dead being given. Later a short acclama- tion was added (e. g. "in God", "in Peace"); from the end of the second century the formulae were en- larged by the addition of family names and the date of burial. In the third and fourth centuries the text of the epitaphs was made more complete by the state- ment of the age of the deceased, the date (reckoned according to the consuls in office), and laudatory epi- thets. For these particulars each of the lands com- prising the Roman empire had its oi\ti distinct expres- sions, contractions, and acclamations. Large use was made of symbolism (q. v.). Thus the open cross is found in the epitaphs of the catacombs as early as the second century, and from the third to the sixth century the monogrammatic cross in its various forms appears as a regular part of the epitaphs. The cryptic emblems of primitive Christianity are also used in the
epitaphs, e. g. the fish (Christ), the anchor (hope),
the palm (victory) and the representation of the
soul in the other world as a female figure (orante) with
arms extended in |>rayer. Beginning with the fourth
century, aflii- lln' \irlnrv of theChiu-ch over pagan-
ism, the langu:i;;i' cil the ('iiitaiihs was more frank and
open. Emplia.^is was laid upon a life according to the
dictates of Christian faith, and prayers for the dead
were added to the inscription. The prayers inscribed
thus early on the sepulchral slabs reproduce in large
measm-e the primitive liturgy of the funeral service.
They implore for the dead eternal peace (see Pax) and
a place of refreshment (refrigeriuni). invite to the
heavenly lo\'c-feast (Agape), and wish the departed
the speedy enjoyment of the light of Paradise, antl the
fellowship of God and the saints.
A perfect example of this kind of epitaph is that of the Egj-ptian monk Schenute; it is taken verlially from the ancient Greek liturgy. It begins with the doxology, "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Cihost. Amen ", and continues: "May the God of the spirit and of all flesh. Who has over- come death and trodden Hades under foot, and has graciously bestowed life on the world, permit this soul
Gr-\ffito on
of Father Schenute to attain to rest in the bosom of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the place of light and
of refreshment, where affliction, pain, and grief are no
more. O gracious God, the lover of men, forgive him
all the errors which he has committed by word, act, or
thought. There is indeed no earthly pilgrim who has
not sinned, for Thou alone, O God, art free from every
sin." The epitaph repeats the doxology at the close,
and adds the petition of the scribe; "0 Saviour, give
peace also to the scribe." When the secure position
of the Church assured greater frectlom of expression,
the non-religious part of the sepulchral inscriptions
was also enlarged. In Western Europe and in the
East it was not unusual to note, both in the catacombs
and in the cemeteries above ground, the purchase or
gift of the grave and its dimensions. Commonly ad-
mitted also into the early Christian inscriptions are
the pagan minatory formulae against desecration of
the grave or its illegal use as a place of further
burial.
Historical and Theological Inscriptions. — To many of the early Cliristian sepulchral inscriptions we are indebted for much information concerning the original development of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, besides which they are of great value as a confirma- tion of Catholic truths. Thus, for example, from the earliest times we meet in them all the hierarchical grades from the door-keeper (ostiarius) and lector up to the pope (see Orders, Holy). A number of epi- taphs of the early popes (Pontianus, Anterus, Fabi- anus, Cornelius, Lucius, Eutychianus, Caius) were found in the so-called "Papal Crypt" in the Cata- comb of St. Callistus on the Via Appia, rediscovered by De Rossi and well known to every pilgrim to Rome (see CE.METERY', sub-title Early Roman Christian Cemeteries). Numbers of early epitaphs of bishops have been found from Germany to Nubia. Priests are frequently mentioned, and reference is often made
