(The church) of the Theotokos Eleousa (eleventh/twelfth century)
Obverse
Bust of the Mother of God orans with a medallion of Christ before her. Sigla: ΜΡ̅Θ̅. : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)[ῦ]. No visible border.
Obverse
Bust of the Mother of God orans with a medallion of Christ before her. Sigla: ΜΡ̅Θ̅. : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)[ῦ]. No visible border.
Reverse
Inscription of four lines preceded (and followed) by decoration. Indeterminate border.
ησφρα
γ,τισθ̅κ̅
τισελε
.σησ
ἡ σφραγ(ὶς) τῖς Θ(εοτό)κου τῖς Ἐλε[ού]σης
Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.567 |
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Diameter | 20.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 5, no. 75.1; illustrated (pl. 146) in Laurent, Corpus V/2, no. 1150 bis (variant). See also Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden I, no. 862a. |
Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
ἡ σφραγὶς τῖς Θεοτόκου τῖς Ἐλεούσης.
The seal of the Mother of God, the Compassionate.
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)
- La géographie ecclésiastique de l’empire byzantin, Vol. 1, Le siège de Constantinople et le patriarcat oecuménique, Pt. 3, Les églises et les monastères (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantinische Bleisiegel in Berlin II (Open in Zotero)
- La géographie ecclésiastique de l’empire byzantin, vol. 2, Les églises et les monastères des grands centres byzantins (Open in Zotero)
- Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (Open in Zotero)
- Corpus der byzantinischen Siegel mit metrischen Legenden, Vol. 1, Siegellegenden von Alpha bis inclusive My (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
A church of the Theotokos Eleousa was built on the orders of John II (1118–1143) at the Pantokrator monastery. See Janin, Églises, 175; and Speck–Sode, Berlin II, no. 369. Another church and monastery of this name are also known at Constantinople (Janin, Églises, 176–177). Janin, Grands Centres, 380–381, lists a church of this name at Thessalonica and another, but of late date, at Trebizond (272). See also ODB 3: 2157.