John archbishop of Bulgaria (twelfth century)
Obverse
The Annunciation. Gabriel approaches the Virgin, seated on a throne and holding a spindle. Vertical inscription in center: Ο.ΕΡΕ|ΤΙΣ|Μ|Ο|Σ: Ὁ Χερετισμός. Border of dots.
Obverse
The Annunciation. Gabriel approaches the Virgin, seated on a throne and holding a spindle. Vertical inscription in center: Ο.ΕΡΕ|ΤΙΣ|Μ|Ο|Σ: Ὁ Χερετισμός. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of six lines, cross above. Border of dots.
ΤῸΝΠΟΙ
ΜΕΝΆΡΧ
ΛΓΆΡΝΙ
ΠΙῸΝΜΟΝΑΗ.
ΜΗΤΡΟΠΆΡΘΕ
ΝΕΣΚΕΠΟΙΣ
Τὸν ποιμενάρχην Βουλγάρων Ἰωάννην πιστὸν μοναστήν, μητροπάρθενε, σκέποις
Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.2400 |
---|---|
Diameter | 33.0 mm; field: 28.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 1, no. 29.7. |
Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
Τὸν ποιμενάρχην Βουλγάρων Ἰωάννην πιστὸν μοναστήν, μητροπάρθενε, σκέποις.
Virgin Mother, may you protect the faithful monk John, archbishop of Bulgaria.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 1: Italy, North of the Balkans, North of the Black Sea (Open in Zotero)
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
- Der Patriarchat von Achrida; Geschichte und Urkunden (Open in Zotero)
- Les duchés byzantins de Paristrion (Paradounavon) et de Bulgarie (Open in Zotero)
- Bolgarija i Vizantija v XI-XII vv. (Open in Zotero)
- L’évolution de l’organisation administrative de l’empire byzantin au XIe siècle (1025–1118) (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Some accents; two twelve-syllable verses. Laurent was inclined to attribute this specimen to John Kamateros, who was appointed during the reign of Alexios III (1195-1203); he preferred this attribution rather than opting for Hadrian-John, nephew of Emperor Alexios and archbishop of Bulgaria in the mid-twelfth century (from before 1143 to sometime between 1157 and 1164). We think, however, that the attribution to Hadrian-John is more likely for epigraphic as well as historical reasons: the ligature disappears after the middle of the twelfth century; and Hadrian-John was in fact a monk and stressed this in his signature of 1157 (Gelzer, Achrida, 9), while nothing of the sort is known about John Kamateros.