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 Θεοῦ. Border of dots.
Obverse
Bust of the Virgin orans with medallion of Christ before her. To her right: ̅ : Μήτηρ Θεοῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
..ΡΑΣ
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. |
Translation
Σφραγὶς Πανάγνου τῆς μονῆς Χορταΐτου.
Seal of the All-holy Chortaïtes Monastery.
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)
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.