Greek "ΗΧV ΓΕΝΝΗΣΙΣ" on painting

Discussion of Greek texts that do not fall into the other categories, including texts in other dialects or texts from other periods.
Forum rules
This is not a beginner's forum, competence in Greek is assumed.
Post Reply
Daniel Mehta
Posts: 10
Joined: April 24th, 2012, 2:53 am
Location: norway

Greek "ΗΧV ΓΕΝΝΗΣΙΣ" on painting

Post by Daniel Mehta »

Please see the attached picture. If the attachment doesn't work, it is fount at http://ikonmaleri.no/galleri/Festsyklus/nativity.jpg

The question is, what does the inscription mean? I assume the second word, "genesis", is "beginning". But ΗΧV?!

Thanks,
Daniel
Attachments
nativity.jpg
nativity.jpg (123.86 KiB) Viewed 3025 times
Stephen Carlson
Posts: 3350
Joined: May 11th, 2011, 10:51 am
Location: Melbourne
Contact:

Re: Greek "ΗΧV ΓΕΝΝΗΣΙΣ" on painting

Post by Stephen Carlson »

It says ἡ Χριστοῦ γέννησις and it means "The Birth of Christ"

The HXV is really Ἡ ΧΥ, with a line over the XY, the standard nomen sacrum (sacred name) abbreviation for Χριστοῦ.

Γέννησις means birth, and it reflect the wording of the Byzantine text of Matt 1:18. The critical text, however, there has γένεσις, which was the word you were thinking of.
Stephen C. Carlson, Ph.D.
Melbourne, Australia
Daniel Mehta
Posts: 10
Joined: April 24th, 2012, 2:53 am
Location: norway

Re: Greek "ΗΧV ΓΕΝΝΗΣΙΣ" on painting

Post by Daniel Mehta »

Thanks! Even given two years of intense studying I would never have figured that out by myself.
Post Reply

Return to “Other Greek Texts”