E03946: Three fragmentary Greek inscriptions (two carved, and one painted), mentioning *John the Baptist (S00020), and possibly *Aaron (the first High Priest, and brother of Moses, S01427), and *George (soldier and martyr, S00259). Found in the church and chapel in the monastic complex of Aaron on Jabal Hārūn near Petra (Roman province of Palaestina III). Probably late antique.

The Finnish Jabal Hārūn project was launched after a preliminary analysis of the papyrus P.Petra inv. 6: the will of Obodianos, son of Obodianos, which revealed the existence of a monastery named after *Aaron (the first High Priest, and brother of Moses): 'the House of our Lord the Saint High Priest Aaron', presumed to be in the area of Jabal an-Nabī Hārūn (see E03944; $E03976). Several excavation campaigns conducted between 1998 and 2001, and centred around a church and another apsed building, identified as a chapel, brought to light more than a dozen very fragmentary carved and painted inscriptions. Among them three may refer to the cult of saints:

Inscription 1:

Fragment of painted plaster, found in Trench I. Letter height, c. 0.06 m.

Πρόδρομο[ς]/'Forerunner'

Prodromos/Forerunner is an epithet of *John the Baptist. The editors note that this is clearly the beginning of a line. Traces of red paint on the upper edge of the fragment suggest that the text was laid-out in at least two lines.

Text: SEG 51, 2076 (4).

Inscription 2:

Fragment, probably of a chancel screen, from its right-hand corner. Dimensions: 0.14 x 0.08 x 0.08 m. Letter height 0.035-0.04 m. Found in the chapel, in front of the altar.

[- - -]̣ΑΡω̣Ν

The editors, Frösén and Lindblom, published the fragment as a possible mention of Aaron (Ἀαρών), brother of Moses, venerated at the site. Tybout in his comments in the SEG was sceptical about this interpretation, pointing out that actually only Ρ and Ω are clear in the photograph.

Text: SEG 49, 2012.

Inscription 3:

Fragment of a chancel screen or table of white marble. Dimensions 0.12 x 0.105 x 0.043 m. Letter height 0.035 m. High quality lettering. The editors consider it a fragment of a table with moulding, rather than of a chancel screen. Found in the church.

[- - -]̣ΑΓΙΕΓ̣Ε[- - -]

The editors, probably rightly, identify the inscription as part of an invocation of *George, soldier and martyr of Diospolis/Lydda. They restore the text as ̣ἅγιε Γ̣ε[ώργιε, βοήθει or ἐλέησον - - -]/'O Saint George [help (or: have mercy) - - -]!'

Text: SEG 52, 1733 (3).