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Niketas synkellos, chartoularios of the Great Orphanotropheion, bishop of Ionopolis (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

The Virgin enthroned (throne with a high back and one round cushion) holding a medallion of Christ before her. Sigla: ̅–θ̅υ : Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Circle of pellets within a double border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines, followed by a decoration. Circle of pellets within a double border of dots.

+θ̅κ̅εRθ,
νικητα
συγκελλ
Sχ̅τ̅λ̅,του
ορφανοτρο
φ,θυτι
νοπολ,

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Νικήτᾳ συγέλλῳ (καὶ) χ(αρ)τ(ου)λ(αρίῳ) τοῦ μ(ε)γ(άλου) ὀρφανοτροφ(είου), θύτου Ἰωνοπόλ(εως)

Obverse

The Virgin enthroned (throne with a high back and one round cushion) holding a medallion of Christ before her. Sigla: ̅–θ̅υ : Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Circle of pellets within a double border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines, followed by a decoration. Circle of pellets within a double border of dots.

+θ̅κ̅εRθ,
νικητα
συγκελλ
Sχ̅τ̅λ̅,του
ορφανοτρο
φ,θυτι
νοπολ,

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Νικήτᾳ συγέλλῳ (καὶ) χ(αρ)τ(ου)λ(αρίῳ) τοῦ μ(ε)γ(άλου) ὀρφανοτροφ(είου), θύτου Ἰωνοπόλ(εως)

Accession number BZS.1947.2.23
Diameter 29.0 mm; field: 22.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 18.3c.

A similar specimen is published by Zacos, Seals II, no. 657; see also PBW: Niketas 20144.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Νικήτᾳ συγέλλῳ καὶ χαρτουλαρίῳ τοῦ μεγάλου ὀρφανοτροφείου, θύτου Ἰωνοπόλεως.

Mother of God, help Niketas, synkellos and chartoularios of the Great Orphanotropheion, bishop of Ionopolis.

Commentary

This seal is a slightly bigger, exact copy of BZS.1958.106.38 and BZS.1958.106.2897.

See John W. Nesbitt, "The Orphanotrophos: Some observations on the history of the office in light of seals," SBS 8 (2003), 57-58.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
  • Βυζαντιακὰ μολυβδόβουλλα. Ἡ συλλογὴ Ἀναστασίου Κ. Π. Σταμούλη (Open in Zotero)
  • Paphlagonien und Honorias (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Hierarchia Ecclesiastica Orientalis: Series episcoporum ecclesiarum christianarum orientalium (Open in Zotero)