MAMA XI 290 (Northern Lykaonia) 
Funerary inscription of Aphthonios
- Type of monument:
- Funerary inscription.
- Location:
- Hoydus (Akıncılar) (Northern Lykaonia): in the steps of a house.
- Description:
- Rough slab of grey marble, broken on all sides. At top, incised cross in an incised arch; at bottom, incised cross, with vine-tendrils (?) growing from its base; the inscription between ruled guide-lines.
- Dimensions:
- Ht. 0.44+; W. 0.27+; Th. --; letters 0.017-0.040.
- Record:
- Squeeze; line drawing; MB notebook copy (1956/148).
- Publication:
- None.
- Date:
- Fourth to sixth century AD.
†
[Κ(υρι)]ε βοήθι
[Ἀ]φθόνις
Ἀλεξάνδρου
ἐντάδε χῖτε
†
Lord, save. Aphthonios son of Alexandros lies here.
Illustrations:
Squeeze of MAMA XI 290 (Northern Lykaonia 16: 1956-148)
Line drawing of MAMA XI 290 (Northern Lykaonia 16: 1956-148)
The physical form of this inscription is very similar to that of I.Konya 213, an epitaph from neighbouring Zıvarık (Altınekin), which also carries the cross in an incised arch at top, and the incised cross sprouting vine-tendrils from its base at bottom. Comparable instances are also found at Laodikeia Katakekaumene (Ladık: MAMA I 213) and in the central Boz Dağ at Mernek/Karakaya (MAMA XI 334 [1956/140]); the cross with vine-tendrils is explained by Calder 1922: 123 in relation to the parable of the vine in John 15:1-16. For the spellings ἐντάδε χῖτε for ἐνθάδε κεῖται in line 4, cf. MAMA VII 76 (Laodikeia: Kındıras); MAMA VII 104b-c (Zıvarık [Altınekin]); Cronin 1902: 113, no. 25 (Davgana/Doğanbey); Swoboda, Keil and Knoll 1935: 10, no. 9 (Davgana/Doğanbey); SEG 34, 1330 (Konya).
I know of no other published inscriptions from Hoydus/Akıncılar, although it is possible that MAMA VII 104d (said to be from a graveyard six miles north of Zıvarık/Altınekin) should be assigned to this village.