John Korones (tenth/eleventh century)
Obverse
Bust of the Mother of God orans. Sigla: Μ̅Θ̅ : Μ(ήτηρ) Θ(εοῦ). Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of three lines, decorations above and below. Border of dots.
θκ̅ε,θ,
ι̅τοκο
ρονη
Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Ἰω(άννῃ) το(ῦ) Κορόνη
Obverse
Bust of the Mother of God orans. Sigla: Μ̅Θ̅ : Μ(ήτηρ) Θ(εοῦ). Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of three lines, decorations above and below. Border of dots.
θκ̅ε,θ,
ι̅τοκο
ρονη
Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Ἰω(άννῃ) το(ῦ) Κορόνη
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.2293 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 17.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 5 no. 99.1; Laurent, Corpus 5.3: no. 1757. |
Translation
Θεοτόκε βοήθει Ἰωάννῃ τοῦ Κορόνη.
Mother of God, help John Korones.
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)
- Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 2: South of the Balkans, the Islands, South of Asia Minor (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Laurent understood this seal as attesting a bishop John of Korone, which the editors of DO Seals 2 excluded from the list of seals of Korone (see note under DO Seals 2 no. 28). They believed the seal to refer to a name, τοῦ Κορώνη(ς), based on a reading of the second line on the reverse. While Laurent read tau, omicron, the editors suggested an omicron-upsilon ligature, as the fourth letter of the second line did not appear to be a simple loop. However, the editors of DO Seals 5 admit that uncertainty remained, and it was published in the addenda restoring Laurent's reading.
A re-evaluation of the seal, with the aid of high-quality photography, suggests that the original suggestion of DO Seals 2 is likely the correct one. Traces of the upsilon part of the ligature are visible, and it does not at all appear to be an omicron. It could also be an upsilon, yielding an unusual abbreviation: τ(ο)ῦ. In any case, this entry reflects the reading of "Korone" as a name.