John archbishop of Bulgaria (twelfth century)
Obverse
The Annunciation. Gabriel approaches the Virgin, seated on a throne and holding a spindle. Vertical inscription in center: Ο.ΕΡΕ|ΤΙΣ|Μ|Ο|Σ: Ὁ Χερετισμός. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of six lines, cross above. Border of dots.
ΤῸΝΠΟΙ
ΜΕΝΆΡΧ
ΛΓΆΡΝΙ
ΠΙῸΝΜΟΝΑΗ.
ΜΗΤΡΟΠΆΡΘΕ
ΝΕΣΚΕΠΟΙΣ
Τὸν ποιμενάρχην Βουλγάρων Ἰωάννην πιστὸν μοναστήν, μητροπάρθενε, σκέποις
Obverse
The Annunciation. Gabriel approaches the Virgin, seated on a throne and holding a spindle. Vertical inscription in center: Ο.ΕΡΕ|ΤΙΣ|Μ|Ο|Σ: Ὁ Χερετισμός. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of six lines, cross above. Border of dots.
ΤῸΝΠΟΙ
ΜΕΝΆΡΧ
ΛΓΆΡΝΙ
ΠΙῸΝΜΟΝΑΗ.
ΜΗΤΡΟΠΆΡΘΕ
ΝΕΣΚΕΠΟΙΣ
Τὸν ποιμενάρχην Βουλγάρων Ἰωάννην πιστὸν μοναστήν, μητροπάρθενε, σκέποις
| Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.2400 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 33.0 mm; field: 28.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 1, no. 29.7. |
| Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
Τὸν ποιμενάρχην Βουλγάρων Ἰωάννην πιστὸν μοναστήν, μητροπάρθενε, σκέποις.
Virgin Mother, may you protect the faithful monk John, archbishop of Bulgaria.
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)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
- Der Patriarchat von Achrida; Geschichte und Urkunden (Open in Zotero)
- Les duchés byzantins de Paristrion (Paradounavon) et de Bulgarie (Open in Zotero)
- Bolgarija i Vizantija v XI-XII vv. (Open in Zotero)
- L’évolution de l’organisation administrative de l’empire byzantin au XIe siècle (1025–1118) (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Some accents; two twelve-syllable verses. Laurent was inclined to attribute this specimen to John Kamateros, who was appointed during the reign of Alexios III (1195-1203); he preferred this attribution rather than opting for Hadrian-John, nephew of Emperor Alexios and archbishop of Bulgaria in the mid-twelfth century (from before 1143 to sometime between 1157 and 1164). We think, however, that the attribution to Hadrian-John is more likely for epigraphic as well as historical reasons: the ligature disappears after the middle of the twelfth century; and Hadrian-John was in fact a monk and stressed this in his signature of 1157 (Gelzer, Achrida, 9), while nothing of the sort is known about John Kamateros.