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Justinian II (687–95)

 
 

Obverse

The Mother of God standing, wearing a chiton and maphorion, and holding Christ before her, with her left hand below his feet. A cross potent at left and right. No border visible.

Reverse

Half-length representation of Justinian II, with a short beard, wearing a crown and a chlamys, and holding a globus in his right hand. He wears his hair long at the sides and curled. A cross potent at left and right. No border visible.

Obverse

The Mother of God standing, wearing a chiton and maphorion, and holding Christ before her, with her left hand below his feet. A cross potent at left and right. No border visible.

Reverse

Half-length representation of Justinian II, with a short beard, wearing a crown and a chlamys, and holding a globus in his right hand. He wears his hair long at the sides and curled. A cross potent at left and right. No border visible.

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4266 (formerly DO 55.1.4266
Diameter 28.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 25.2; Zacos–Veglery, no. 24b.

Commentary

As there is no inscription, identification of this seal is based on comparison of style, iconographic details, and the imperial portrait of gold coins. It is most similar to the solidus issued by Justinian II in his first reign (for example, DOC 2.2:5c [pl. 37]; MIB 3: Prägetabelle 10, nos. 4–7). The quality of design and execution noted on his coins carries over into the careful workmanship that engravers expended on incising boulloteria.

The center shaft of the cross flanking the Mother of God at left seems to be longer in the lower portion than the one at right.

This seal is noted here as being parallel to BZS.1955.1.4265 based on the irregularities in size and placement of the crosses potent on the obverse. The quality of this seal, however, makes it impossible to state this definitively.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 6, Emperors, Patriarchs of Constantinople, Addenda (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection, Vol. 2, Phocas to Theodosius III (602–717) (Open in Zotero)
  • Moneta Imperii Byzantini: Rekonstruktion des Prägeaufbaues auf synoptisch-tabellarischer Grundlage (Open in Zotero)

Parallel Seals