Skip to Content

John protoproedros and epi tes basilikes sakelles (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God (Blachernitissa) orans with medallion. Sigla: ̅θυ̅. Epithet along the upper circumference: ηλαχερν,τησα : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ ἡ Βλαχερν(ί)τησα. Border of dots.

Reverse

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

  
θκε,θ,
ιπρτο
προερ
επιτησ̅⸣
σκελ
λησ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Ἰω(άννῃ) πρωτοπροέδρῳ (καὶ) ἐπὶ τῆς β(ασιλικῆς) σακέλλης

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God (Blachernitissa) orans with medallion. Sigla: ̅θυ̅. Epithet along the upper circumference: ηλαχερν,τησα : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ ἡ Βλαχερν(ί)τησα. Border of dots.

Reverse

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

  
θκε,θ,
ιπρτο
προερ
επιτησ̅⸣
σκελ
λησ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Ἰω(άννῃ) πρωτοπροέδρῳ (καὶ) ἐπὶ τῆς β(ασιλικῆς) σακέλλης

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.505
Diameter 27.0 mm
Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Ἰωάννῃ πρωτοπροέδρῳ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλικῆς σακέλλης.

Mother of God, help John protoproedros and epi tes basilikes sakelles.

Commentary

This is one of four seals from the same boulloterion edited jointly (parallels listed below).