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The imperial monastery of the Prodromos τῆς Εὐήμις (tenth/eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. John Prodromos; details obscure. Inscription in two columns: |ι̅|ο..|.|μ : ὁ ἅ(γιος) [Ἰ]ω(άννης) [ὁ Πρ(ό)]δ[ρ(ο)]μ(ος). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, decoration below. Border of dots.

σφραγ,
τησ,μο
ν,τουπρο
ρομ,τησ
ε.ημισ
  

σφραγ(ὶς) τῆς β(ασιλικῆς) μ[ο]ν(ῆς) τοῦ Πρ[ο]δρόμ(ου) τῆς Ε[ὐ]ήμις

Obverse

Bust of St. John Prodromos; details obscure. Inscription in two columns: |ι̅|ο..|.|μ : ὁ ἅ(γιος) [Ἰ]ω(άννης) [ὁ Πρ(ό)]δ[ρ(ο)]μ(ος). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, decoration below. Border of dots.

σφραγ,
τησ,μο
ν,τουπρο
ρομ,τησ
ε.ημισ
  

σφραγ(ὶς) τῆς β(ασιλικῆς) μ[ο]ν(ῆς) τοῦ Πρ[ο]δρόμ(ου) τῆς Ε[ὐ]ήμις

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.978
Diameter 22.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 81.1b; Laurent, Corpus 5.2: no. 1285 (with misreading; wrong accession number); N. Oikonomides, "The Concept of 'Holy War' and Two Tenth-Century Byzantine Ivories," p. 81. Oikonomides noted a parallel specimen in the Athens Numismatic Museum, no. 673/91. The reading of this seal has been restored with reference to its counterpart from the same boulloterion (linked to this entry).

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

Translation

σφραγὶς τῆς βασιλικῆς μονῆς τοῦ Προδρόμου τῆς Εὐήμις.

Seal of the imperial monastery of the Prodromos τῆς Εὐήμις.

Commentary

The existence of a μονὴ Εὐήμης is confirmed from an inscription on an ivory plaque in the procession of the church of San Francesco of Cortona. It is unclear what language lies behind Ε[ὐ]ήμις. The word does not seem to be related to Greek, Slavic, or Armenian.

It is possible, however, that the correct reading is Ἐ[ρ]ήμις, a variant of Ἐρεμίας/Ἠρημίας (see also BZS.1955.1.5070). Until a more complete example appears we prefer to keep the reading as E[ὐ]ήμις.

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)
  • The Concept of “Holy War” and Two Tenth-Century Byzantine Ivories (Open in Zotero)