The Umm Leisun inscription () is an Old Georgian limestone tombstone slab. It has a five-lineSeligman, p. 153 inscription written in the Georgian Asomtavruli script and was discovered in 2002, after the renewal of 1996Tchekhanovets, p. 304 excavation at a Georgian monastery of the Byzantine period, in the neighborhood of Umm Leisun, in the southern part of Sur Baher, 4.5 km southeast of the Old City of Jerusalem.Seligman, p. 145 It was found in a burial crypt under the polychromeSeligman, p. 146 mosaic floor.Seligman, p. 152
In total about 24 interments were discovered in the crypt.Seligman, p. 157 Per sex estimation for human skeletons, all of them were adult males, as would be expected in a monastery.Tchekhanovets, p. 306 The occupant of the most important tomb identified by a Georgian inscription was a "Georgian bishop Iohane" (John in Old Georgian), who was also the oldest and his age underlined his special status.Seligman, p. 158 He would have been aged 66 or 67 when he died, and had suffered from osteoporosis.Khurtsilava, p. 26 The inscription is the earliest known example for an ethnonym ႵႠႰႧႥႤႪႨ (kartveli i.e. Georgian) on any archaeological artifact, both in the Holy Land and in Georgia.Tchekhanovets, p. 305Khurtsilava, p. 27
The inscription measures 81 × 49 cm cut into the tombstone. It is dated to the end of the 5th or the first half of the 6th century AD.Seligman, p. 162 The inscription is kept at the Archaeological Garden of Knesset.Seligman, p. 177
Inscription
ႤႱႤႱႠႫႠႰႾႭჂ ႨႭჀႠႬႤႴႭჃႰ ႲႠႥႤႪႤႮႨႱႩႭႮႭ ႱႨႱႠჂႵႠႰႧႥႤ ႪႨႱႠჂ✢
esesamarkhoy iohanepowr tavelepʼiskʼopʼo sisaykartve lisay✢
Translation: This is the grave of John, Bishop of Purtavi, a Georgian.
See also Bir el Qutt inscriptions Georgian graffiti of Nazareth and Sinai Epitaph of Samuel Greco-Georgian mosaic of Mount Zion
References
Bibliography
Tchekhanovets, Y. (2014) Iohane, Bishop of Purtavi and Caucasian Albanians in the Holy Land Khurtsilava, B. (2014) A Georgian Monastery of Purta, Istoriani