Skip to Content

The seal of the Chortaïtes monastery (twelfth century, second half)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin orans with medallion of Christ before her. To her right: ̅ : Μήτηρ Θεο. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

..ΡΑΣ
ΠΑΝΑΓΝ
,ΤΗΣΜΟˋ
ΧΟΡΤΑΙΤ

Σφραγὶς Πανάγνου τῆς μονῆς Χορταΐτου

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin orans with medallion of Christ before her. To her right: ̅ : Μήτηρ Θεο. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

..ΡΑΣ
ΠΑΝΑΓΝ
,ΤΗΣΜΟˋ
ΧΟΡΤΑΙΤ

Σφραγὶς Πανάγνου τῆς μονῆς Χορταΐτου

Accession number BZS.1958.106.401
Diameter 18.0 mm; field: 14.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 1, no. 27.1c. See also Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden II, no. 2701c.
Laurent, Corpus V/2, no. 1242, edits a similar specimen, from the Museum of Istanbul.

Translation

Σφραγὶς Πανάγνου τῆς μονῆς Χορταΐτου.

Seal of the All-holy Chortaïtes Monastery.

Commentary

This is a correct twelve-syllable verse.

Note that the engraver added a τ-shaped sign after Πανάγνου, below the line, in order to indicate the caesura. He also used letters of smaller size than the rest, indicating the arrival of the twelfth-century fashion.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 1: Italy, North of the Balkans, North of the Black Sea (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Corpus der byzantinischen Siegel mit metrischen Legenden, Vol. 2, Siegellegenden von Ny bis inklusive Sphragis (Open in Zotero)