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The seal of the Chortaïtes monastery (twelfth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin orans with medallion of Christ before her. On either side: ΜΡ̅ΘΥ̅ : Μήτηρ Θεοῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

ΣΦΡΑ
ΓΙΣΠΑΝΑ
ΓΝΟΥΤΗΣ
ΜΟΝΗΣΧΟΡ
ΤΑΙΤ

Σφραγὶς Πανάγνου τῆς μονῆς Χορταΐτου

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin orans with medallion of Christ before her. On either side: ΜΡ̅ΘΥ̅ : Μήτηρ Θεοῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

ΣΦΡΑ
ΓΙΣΠΑΝΑ
ΓΝΟΥΤΗΣ
ΜΟΝΗΣΧΟΡ
ΤΑΙΤ

Σφραγὶς Πανάγνου τῆς μονῆς Χορταΐτου

Accession number BZS.1958.106.37
Diameter 20.0 mm; field: 19.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 1, no. 27.1a.
Illustrated in the plates of Laurent, Corpus V/2, no. 1242, while in the text a seal from the Museum of Istanbul is edited, which resembles DO specimen BZS 1958.106.401.
Cf. Zacos- Seals II, no. 610; and Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden II, no. 2701a.

Translation

Σφραγὶς Πανάγνου τῆς μονῆς Χορταΐτου.

Seal of the All-holy Chortaïtes Monastery.

Commentary

This is a correct twelve-syllable verse.

Of the other specimens of this seal as published in DO 1, 27.1, the earlier group, this specimen and (b), presents similarities in the distribution of the inscription. Similarities also exist between (c) and (d). It is remarkable that in each group we have one large and one small boulloterion, and that the blanks used for the two larger specimen, this specimen and (d), seem to come from the same mold (cf. their weights) despite the time span separating them.

The monastery of the Virgin of Chortaïtes was located northeast of Thessalonica on the mountain of the same name. Laurent has shown that the monastery was in existence before the Fourth Crusade, and the seals show that it certainly existed before the eleventh century. Cf. Laurent, Corpus V/2, 164-65 and no. 1242.

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)