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The diakonia of the Theotokos of the property of Verus (seventh/eighth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God with Christ before her; at left and right, small crosses. Circular inscription, beginning at twelve o'clock, between a double border of dots:

γισθεοτο

[Ὑπερ]αγίας Θεοτό[κου]

Reverse

Inscription of four lines. Wreath border.

δι
κονισ
τονβι
ρον

Διακονίας τον Βίρου

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God with Christ before her; at left and right, small crosses. Circular inscription, beginning at twelve o'clock, between a double border of dots:

γισθεοτο

[Ὑπερ]αγίας Θεοτό[κου]

Reverse

Inscription of four lines. Wreath border.

δι
κονισ
τονβι
ρον

Διακονίας τον Βίρου

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.1368
Diameter 26.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 34.1b (mislabelled, photograph a); Laurent, Corpus 5.2: no. 1221; Zacos–Veglery, no. 1127b. Laurent is mistaken that 1958.106.53 is a similar specimen.

Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

Translation

Ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου Διακονίας τον Βίρου.

(Seal of) the diakonia of the most holy Theotokos of the property of Verus.

Commentary

This seal is edited jointly with its counterparts from the same boulloterion: BZS 1951.31.5.1982 and 1958.106.43 (see also the commentary to this entry).

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. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • Synaxarium Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae, Propylaeum ad AASS Novembris (Open in Zotero)