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Monogrammatic seal (sixth/seventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform monogram. Wreath border.

 - β - δ - ε - θ - ι - κ - ο - ρ -  - Ψ - 

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Reverse

Cruciform monogram. Wreath border.

 - ε - ι - λ - μ - ν - ο - ρ - σ - υ

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Obverse

Cruciform monogram. Wreath border.

 - β - δ - ε - θ - ι - κ - ο - ρ -  - Ψ - 

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Reverse

Cruciform monogram. Wreath border.

 - ε - ι - λ - μ - ν - ο - ρ - σ - υ

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Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.3243
Diameter 20.0 mm
Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

Translation

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Commentary

This corrosion on this seal makes it impossible to give certain readings of either monogram; the obverse seems to read either the strange, ἀββᾷ Θεωδώρῳ (Father Theodore) in the dative case or Θεοδώρας/Θεοδώρᾳ (Theodora) in the genitive or dative case (though also the strangely positioned ω at the top of the upper terminus of the cruciform may be a ψ, making the monogram even less decipherable). Neither of these seems possible, as the reverse almost certainly contains a masculine genitive name; the corrosion make essentially every terminus of the cruciform unclear, especially the left terminus, but some possible readings are Μενάνδρου (Menandros), Ἀμμενιανοῦ (Ammenianos), Ἀνεμίου (Anemios), and Ὑμεναίου (Hymenaios).