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The Dedication Inscription at Jarrow and its Context

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2011

Summary

The early Anglo-Saxon dedication inscription at Jarrow is described, transcribed, and translated. Its purpose is considered and its contents are analysed and compared to Anglo-Saxon and Continental inscriptions, liturgical calendars, and papal documents. The stages in the execution are discussed. The lettering is shown to be in a relatively pure Roman capital without Insular forms. The other inscriptions of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow are considered in relation to the dedication inscription. Three probably consecutive palaeographical groups are suggested and similarities to lettering in manuscripts from the same centres are noted. The contents of extant and recorded inscriptions, including those attributable to Bede, are examined for evidence of their historical contexts. Most of the inscriptions emerge as characteristically ‘Roman’ products of the two houses.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1979

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References

1 For a full bibliography see Hand-list, pp. 85–6.

2 Ibid., p. 45. The conventions used here include italics for a damaged but legible letter and italics in square brackets for a damaged letter where the reading is less than certain.

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23 Hand-list, pp. 68, 109–11; E. A. Lowe, op. cit., pls. VIII and IXa; Brown, T. J. (ed.), The Stonyhurst Gospel of Saint John (Roxburghe Club, Oxford, 1969), p. 60.Google Scholar

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26 Hand-list, no. 105 (Ruthwell), no. 28 (Deerhurst) and nos. 8, 39, 41, 64, 73, 110, 133, 146; Bauer, K. F., ‘Mainzer Epigraphik’, Zeitschrift des deutschen Vereins für Buchwesen und Schrifttum, ix (1926), 13 and passim.Google Scholar

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31 Hand-list, nos. 76, 77, or 80.

32 The discussion of letter forms draws mainly on the following works: Okasha, E., ‘The nonrunic scripts of Anglo-Saxon inscriptions’, Trans. Cambridge Bibliographical Soc. iv (1968), 321–38Google Scholar; J. S., and Gordon, A. E., ‘Contributions to the palaeography of Latin inscriptions’, University of California Publications in Classical Archaeology, iii (1957)Google Scholar; Nash-Williams, V. E., The Early Christian Monuments of Wales (Cardiff, 1950), pp. 223–32Google Scholar; Le Blant, E., ‘Paléographie des inscriptions latines du IIIe siècle à la fin du VIIIe’, Revue Archéologique, 3e série, xxix (1896), 177–97Google Scholar, 345–55, xxx (1897), 30–40, 171–84, xxxi (1897), 172–84; Deschamps, P., ‘Étude sur la paléographie des inscriptions …’, Bulletin Monumental, lxxxviii (1929)Google Scholar; K. F. Bauer, op. cit.; R. Conrad, Nieder-rheinische Epigraphik (Frankfurt-am-Main, 1931); Gray, N., “The paleography of Latin inscriptions … in Italy’, Papers of the British School at Rome, xvi (1948), 38167; J. Vives, op. cit.; J. Mallon, op. cit..CrossRefGoogle Scholar

33 J. Hubert, J. Porcher, W. F. Volbach, op. cit., p. 289, illus. 82, 8 3; de Maillé, Marquise, Les Cryptes de Jouarre (Paris, 1971), pp. 221— 38.Google Scholar

34 E. Okasha, op. cit.; T. J. Brown in T. D. Kendrick, op. cit., pp. 75–7 (for decorative capitals in Lindisfarne Gospels); N. Gray, op. cit.; H. I. Marrou (ed.), op. cit., e.g. nos. 147, 170; Morison, S., Politics and Script (Oxford, 1972), pp. 104–7 and passim.Google Scholar

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38 Brown, T. J. (ed.), The Stonyhurst Gospel of Saint John (Roxburghe Club, Oxford, 1969)Google Scholar; Hand-list, nos. 63, 92. The recent finds are JA 70 JG which was found in a disturbed area near the south-west corner of the Anglo-Saxon basilica and JA 73 US which was found amongst the debris of the collapsed north wall of the building D near the river bank at Jarrow. I would like to thank Deirdre O'Sullivan for supplying me with information on the Jarrow finds mentioned here and below.

39 T. J. Brown, op. cit., p. 60; idem, in T. D. Kendrick et al., op. cit., i, fo. 3r, ii, p. 72 (Lindisfarne Gospels).

40 Hand-list, nos. 62, 91. The fragment inscribed ‘IN …’ is JA 71 CG and was found in a modern context in the south range of the medieval monastery at Jarrow.

41 O. Arngart (ed.) (Early English Manuscripts in Facsimile, ii).

42 Collingwood, W. G., Northumbrian Crosses of the Pre-Norman Age (London, 1927), p. 12Google Scholar, fig. I7d; Page, R. I., An Introduction to English Runes (London, 1973), p. 143, fig. 26.Google Scholar

43 I would like to thank Professor Cramp for drawing my attention to the probable inscription on this fragment.

44 H.A.B. ii, 14 (plague); E. Okasha, op. cit., 322–7.

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48 H.A.B. ii, 14, 20, 21; O.H. ii, 362, 363, 364, 369; William of Malmesbury, De Gestis Pontificum Anglorum (Rolls Series), p. 392; Browne, G. F., ‘On inscriptions at Jarrow and Monkwearmouth’, Arch. Ael., new ser., xi (1886), 30–2Google Scholar; H.E. ii, 3, v, 8, 19; Stenton, F., Anglo-Saxon England, 3rd edn. (Oxford, 1971), p. 109.Google Scholar

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51 M. Lapidge, op. cit., 801 and n. 2 (for evidence of an eighth-century English collection of papal epitaphs).

52 P. Wormald, op. cit., p. 153.

53 H.A.B. i, 4, 11.