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Alex(ios/andros) . . . archbishop, kouboukleisios (?), and synkellos (tenth/eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Inscription in four lines. Border of dots.

κεο
η.ειαλε
....ον.
.

Κύριε βοήθει Ἀλεξίῳ/άνδρῳ . . .

Reverse

Inscription in four lines. Border of dots.

α ρεπι
..οπωκ
.σ..
.ελλ.

ἀρχιεπισκόπῳ κουβουκλεισίῳ (?) καὶ συγκέλλ

Obverse

Inscription in four lines. Border of dots.

κεο
η.ειαλε
....ον.
.

Κύριε βοήθει Ἀλεξίῳ/άνδρῳ . . .

Reverse

Inscription in four lines. Border of dots.

α ρεπι
..οπωκ
.σ..
.ελλ.

ἀρχιεπισκόπῳ κουβουκλεισίῳ (?) καὶ συγκέλλ

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4690
Diameter 22.0 mm

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει Ἀλεξίῳ/άνδρῳ . . . ἀρχιεπισκόπῳ κουβουκλεισίῳ (?) καὶ συγκέλλῳ.

Lord, help Alex(ios/andros) . . . archbishop, kouboukleisios (?) and synkellos.

Commentary

A parallel specimen would be greatly beneficial for deciphering this seal. The last two lines of the obverse are essentially illegible, with the possible exception of two letters near the end of the third line, which may be an ΟΜ or ΟΝ--perhaps it reads μοναχῷ? The reverse is only partially better. The first word is definitively archbishop, and the last word, likely synkellos. However the middle word is uncertain. While the clerical title of kouboukleisios is possible given what remains on the seal, it would be irregular to find on the seal of a bishop. Based on the placement of this word on the seal, might this be the seal owner's bishopric?