Inscription of Ioudas

Photogallery

Inscription of Ioudas
Inscription of Ioudas
Jewish Lapidarium

This small rectangular stone closed the tomb of an infant in the Jewish catacombs of Monteverde. The baby, who died at the age of just seven months, was called Judah (Ioudas): this represents one of the many cases of the documented use of Semitic names (transliterated using Greek characters) by members of the ancient Jewish community of Trastevere, as may be seen also in Joses, Astér (Esther), Sabbatis, Maria, and so on. The name itself, on the first line, and the formula "Here lies ..." at the end of the inscription, are contained in small frames (tabellae ansatae). These are surrounded by the classical repertoire of Jewish liturgical emblems, with stylised representations of the seven-branched candelabrum (menorāh), amphoras for oil and the lulāv (the palm branch with myrtle and willow, typical of the feast of sukkōt). Alongside these there are three birds and a symbol of uncertain meaning, engraved immediately before the name of the deceased.