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Basil protospatharios and chartoularios of the Great Church (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God orans with a medallion of Christ before her. Visible at right: ΘΥ̅ : [Μ(ήτη)ρ] Θ(εο)ῦ. No visible border.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines. No visible border.

κε,θ,
τσΔ
σιλιο
σπθSχ̅τ̅
τ,τθ̅υ̅.
.λλισι

Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) τῷ σῷ δού(λῳ) Βασιλίο (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) χ(αρ)τ(ουλαρίῳ) τ(ῆς) τοῦ Θ(εο)ῦ Μ(ε)γ(άλης) [Ἐκ]κλ{λ}ισί(ας)

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God orans with a medallion of Christ before her. Visible at right: ΘΥ̅ : [Μ(ήτη)ρ] Θ(εο)ῦ. No visible border.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines. No visible border.

κε,θ,
τσΔ
σιλιο
σπθSχ̅τ̅
τ,τθ̅υ̅.
.λλισι

Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) τῷ σῷ δού(λῳ) Βασιλίο (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) χ(αρ)τ(ουλαρίῳ) τ(ῆς) τοῦ Θ(εο)ῦ Μ(ε)γ(άλης) [Ἐκ]κλ{λ}ισί(ας)

Accession number BZS.1958.106.199
Diameter 19.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 42.4; Laurent, Corpus 5.1: no. 68.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Βασιλίο πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ χαρτουλαρίῳ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ Μεγάλης Ἐκκλισίας.

Lord, help your servant Basil protospatharios and chartoularios of the Great Church of God.

Commentary

It is interesting that the invocation on the reverse opens with an appeal to the "Lord." One might have expected a request for help addressed to the "Mother of God." The form of the invocation is not tied to iconography, but to the ultimate patron of the Great Church, "God."

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)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)