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(The church?) of the Theotokos Eleousa (twelfth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God with Christ on her right arm. Sigla at left, seemingly an interesting variation: ̅ΧΥ̅ : Μή(τη)ρ Χ(ριστο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines preceded by a cross. Border of dots.


ησφρα
γˋτησθ̅κ̅
τησελε
ουση.

ἡ σφραγ(ὶς) τῆς Θ(εοτό)κου τῆς Ἐλεούση[ς]

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God with Christ on her right arm. Sigla at left, seemingly an interesting variation: ̅ΧΥ̅ : Μή(τη)ρ Χ(ριστο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines preceded by a cross. Border of dots.


ησφρα
γˋτησθ̅κ̅
τησελε
ουση.

ἡ σφραγ(ὶς) τῆς Θ(εοτό)κου τῆς Ἐλεούση[ς]

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.970
Diameter 25.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5, no. 75.2; Laurent, Corpus V/2, no. 1150. A similar seal appeared in Hirsch Sale, 191 (24–28 September 1996), no. 1611 (= Zarnitz 666). Two similar specimens are published in Speck–Sode, Berlin II, no. 369. See also Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden I, no. 862b.

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

Translation

ἡ σφραγ(ὶς) τῆς Θ(εοτό)κου τῆς Ἐλεούσης.

The seal of the Theotokos Eleousa.

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 a later date, at Trebizond (272). See also ODB 3: 2157.

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)
  • Byzantinische Bleisiegel in Berlin II (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)
  • 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)