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(Token of the church of) St. Thekla (twelfth/thirteenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Cross in center with an oblique comma in each quarter and two pellets slightly above the terminus of each cross's four segments. Heavy linear border.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines. Incuse border.

ΤΗΣ
ΑΑΣ
ΘΕΚΛ
ΑΣ

Τῆς ἁγίας Θέκλας

Obverse

Cross in center with an oblique comma in each quarter and two pellets slightly above the terminus of each cross's four segments. Heavy linear border.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines. Incuse border.

ΤΗΣ
ΑΑΣ
ΘΕΚΛ
ΑΣ

Τῆς ἁγίας Θέκλας

Accession number BZS.1955.1.5076
Diameter 28.0 mm; field: 23.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 60.1; Laurent, Corpus 5.3: no. 1919 (tenth century).

Translation

Τῆς ἁγίας Θέκλας.

(Token of the church) of St. Thekla.

Commentary

Laurent dated this specimen to the tenth century, but we prefer the twelfth or thirteenth centuries, based on the decorative tail at the bottom of the tau (beginning of the first line on the reverse). Laurent is correct that the specimen is a token and quite likely associated with charity among the poor. In our opinion it is of relatively late date and accordingly may have been struck on behalf of the church of St. Thekla παρὰ τὸν λιμένα Ἰουλιανοῦ, an imperial foundation that appears to have still existed in the thirteenth century (Janin, Églises, 142).

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 5: The East (continued), Constantinople and Environs, Unknown Locations, Addenda, Uncertain Readings (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • La géographie ecclésiastique de l’empire byzantin, Vol. 1, Le siège de Constantinople et le patriarcat oecuménique, Pt. 3, Les églises et les monastères (Open in Zotero)