Kyriakos monk of the Imperial Monastery (eleventh century)
| Accession number | BZS.1955.1.4959 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 23 mm |
| Field diameter | 15 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 5 no. 78.4a; Laurent, Corpus 5.3: no. 1905. |
Obverse
Inscription of four lines, the last letter between two horizontal bars. Border of dots.
κε̅,θ,
.σ
.υρια
κ
Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) [τ]ῷ σῷ δού(λῳ) [Κυ]ρια[κ](ῷ)
Reverse
Inscription of four lines preceded by decoration, the last letter possibly between two horizontal bars.
μοναχ
τεσ
ποτι
κ
μοναχ(ῷ) [τ]ῷ δεσποτικ[ῷ]
Translation
Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Κυριακῷ μοναχῷ τῷ δεσποτικῷ.
Lord, help your servant Kyriakos, imperial monk.
| Accession number | BZS.1955.1.4959 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 23 mm |
| Field diameter | 15 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 5 no. 78.4a; Laurent, Corpus 5.3: no. 1905. |
| Accession number | BZS.1955.1.4959 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 23 mm |
| Field diameter | 15 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 5 no. 78.4a; Laurent, Corpus 5.3: no. 1905. |
Commentary
Laurent (Corpus 5.3: nos. 1904–5) published only two of several specimens from the Dumbarton Oaks collections attesting the existence of a monastery known as the "Imperial," an establishment that, under this name at least, is not otherwise known.
This seal differs from other specimens of the Imperial Monastery, in that the reverse inscription identifies the owner as an "imperial [in the dative] monk," rather than a monk of the Imperial [in the genitive] Monastery.