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The monastery of (St. John) Prodromos on the Jordan (twelfth century)

 
 

Obverse

St. John Prodromos standing, blessing with his right hand and holding a long cross in his left. Inscription: |Ι̅|ΟΠ|Ρ,|Μ : Ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ἰω(άννης) ὁ Πρ(ό)δρ(ο)μ(ος). Border of dots.

Reverse

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


ΣΦΡΑΓΙΣ
ΜΟΝΙΣΤ
ΠΡΟΔΡ,Μ
ΤΙΟΡΔΑ
Ν

Σφραγὶς μονῖς τοῦ Προδρ(ό)μου τοῦ Ἰορδάνου.

Obverse

St. John Prodromos standing, blessing with his right hand and holding a long cross in his left. Inscription: |Ι̅|ΟΠ|Ρ,|Μ : Ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ἰω(άννης) ὁ Πρ(ό)δρ(ο)μ(ος). Border of dots.

Reverse

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


ΣΦΡΑΓΙΣ
ΜΟΝΙΣΤ
ΠΡΟΔΡ,Μ
ΤΙΟΡΔΑ
Ν

Σφραγὶς μονῖς τοῦ Προδρ(ό)μου τοῦ Ἰορδάνου.

Accession number BZS 1958.106.432
Diameter 23.0 mm; field: 18.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 19.5; Laurent, Corpus 5.2: no. 1579.

Translation

Σφραγὶς μονῖς τοῦ Προδρόμου τοῦ Ἰορδάνου.

Seal of the monastery of (St. John) Prodromos on the Jordan.

Commentary

The monastery of St. John on the Jordan was founded by the emperor Anastasius (491–518) on the site traditionally accepted as the place where John the Baptist had baptized Jesus. It was restored by Manuel I Komnenos (1143–1180), during whose reign the present seal may have been engraved. See Laurent, Corpus 5.2:410–11.

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)