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John priest of the Great Church and imperial cleric (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. John Chrysostomos. Details unclear, but there appears to be a cross of dots on his right shoulder. Traces of a columnar inscription at right: ο||ΟΣ :[Ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ἰω(άννης)] ὁ Χρ(συ)όσ[τομ(ος)]. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

Ι̅Π̅Ρ̅
.ερο,τ.
εκκλι
....ασ
..ιρκ

Ἰω(άννης) πρ(εσ)[β(ύ)]τερο(ς) τ(ῆς) [Μ(ε)γ(άλης)] Ἐκκλι[σία(ς) (καὶ)] βασ[ιλ(ικὸς)] κ(λ)ιρ(ι)κ(ός).

Obverse

Bust of St. John Chrysostomos. Details unclear, but there appears to be a cross of dots on his right shoulder. Traces of a columnar inscription at right: ο||ΟΣ :[Ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ἰω(άννης)] ὁ Χρ(συ)όσ[τομ(ος)]. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

Ι̅Π̅Ρ̅
.ερο,τ.
εκκλι
....ασ
..ιρκ

Ἰω(άννης) πρ(εσ)[β(ύ)]τερο(ς) τ(ῆς) [Μ(ε)γ(άλης)] Ἐκκλι[σία(ς) (καὶ)] βασ[ιλ(ικὸς)] κ(λ)ιρ(ι)κ(ός).

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.2869
Diameter 26.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5, no. 42.27.
Laurent, Corpus 5.2: no. 1119.

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

Translation

Ἰωάννης πρεσβύτερος τῆς Μεγάλης Ἐκκλισίας καὶ βασιλικὸς κλιρικός.

John priest of the Great Church and imperial cleric.

Commentary

The reading of the final line is uncertain. Laurent proposed οἰκ(ε)ιακός.

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)