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Michael chartoularios of the dromos and of Charsianon (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

The Crucifixion with two standing figures, no doubt the Virgin at left and St. John at right. On either side of Christ, depictions of the sun (left) and a crescent moon (right). Inscription: η|σ|τ|.|.-.ω|σ|ι|σ : Ἡ Σταύρωσις. Circular inscription between concentric circles of dots, beginning at five o'clock.

μιχαηλφυλαξεσονστε......

Μιχαὴλ φύλαξε σόν, Σῶτερ ἀνθρώπων?

Reverse

St. Nicholas at left and St. Menas at right, standing, facing; each raises a hand toward a medallion of Christ (or the Virgin?) in the center of the upper field. Vertical inscription at left: |νι|κο|λ|α|ο|σ: Ὁ ἅγιος Νικόλαος. Vertical inscription, beginning in the center and continuing at right: ||ν|α|σ|οκαλ|λικε|λ|α|δ|ο|σ: Ὁ ἅγιος Μηνᾶς ὁ Καλλικέλαδος. Circular inscription between concentric circles of dots, beginning at five o'clock:

χαρτ..λαριδρ.μου-καιχαρσιανου

χαρτουλαρίῳ δρόμου καὶ Χαρσιάνου

Obverse

The Crucifixion with two standing figures, no doubt the Virgin at left and St. John at right. On either side of Christ, depictions of the sun (left) and a crescent moon (right). Inscription: η|σ|τ|.|.-.ω|σ|ι|σ : Ἡ Σταύρωσις. Circular inscription between concentric circles of dots, beginning at five o'clock.

μιχαηλφυλαξεσονστε......

Μιχαὴλ φύλαξε σόν, Σῶτερ ἀνθρώπων?

Reverse

St. Nicholas at left and St. Menas at right, standing, facing; each raises a hand toward a medallion of Christ (or the Virgin?) in the center of the upper field. Vertical inscription at left: |νι|κο|λ|α|ο|σ: Ὁ ἅγιος Νικόλαος. Vertical inscription, beginning in the center and continuing at right: ||ν|α|σ|οκαλ|λικε|λ|α|δ|ο|σ: Ὁ ἅγιος Μηνᾶς ὁ Καλλικέλαδος. Circular inscription between concentric circles of dots, beginning at five o'clock:

χαρτ..λαριδρ.μου-καιχαρσιανου

χαρτουλαρίῳ δρόμου καὶ Χαρσιάνου

Accession number BZS.1958.106.1959
Diameter 36.0 mm; field: 33.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 40.5.

Translation

Μιχαὴλ φύλαξε σόν, Σῶτερ ἀνθρώπων, χαρτουλαρίῳ δρόμου καὶ Χαρσιάνου.

Saviour of mankind, protect your servant Michael, chartoularios of the dromos and Charsianon.

Commentary

Two twelve-syllable verses, in the second of which it is necessary to displace the accent of Χαρσιανοῦ. Note that the engraver seems to have started the circular inscription at the top (as usual) but with the second half of each verse. Thus the inscriptions, most unusually as we read them, begin at five o’clock.

The iconography of the reverse is rare and has rightly been related with the family of patriarch Michael Keroularios, as it appears on seals that belonged to one of his nephews, Constantine. See Seyrig, no. 96 (cf. Zacos, Seals II, no. 404). The owner of the present seal cannot be the other nephew, who was named Nikephoros, but could well be identical to Michael, logothete of the sekreta (1090-1109) whose affiliation to the Keroularios family has already been suggested (Skoulatos, Personnages, 208-209).

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • Studies in Byzantine Sigillography (Open in Zotero)
  • War Gagik II. von Grossarmenien ca. 1072-1073 Μέγας Δοὺξ Χαρσιανοῦ? (Open in Zotero)
  • Kappadokien (Kappadokia, Charsianon, Sebasteia und Lykandos) (Open in Zotero)
  • Le thème et la forteresse de Charsianon: Recherches dans la région d’Akdagmadeni (Open in Zotero)
  • Charsianon-Kastron/Qal’ei Harsanos (Open in Zotero)
  • Η Μικρά Ασία των θεμάτων. Ἐρευνες πάνω στην γεωγραφική φυσιογνωμία και προσωπογραφία των βυζαντινών θεμάτων της Μικράς Ασίας (Open in Zotero)
  • Les sceaux byzantins de la Collection Henri Seyrig (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
  • Les personnages byzantins de l’Alexiade: Analyse prosopographique et synthèse (Open in Zotero)