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Basil ostiarios and psaltes of the Great Church (eleventh/twelfth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God orans. At left and right, sigla: Μ̅Θ̅: Μ(ήτηρ) Θ(εοῦ). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines preceded by decoration, the last letter between two horizontal bars. Border of dots.


θκε,θ,
ασιλ,
οστιαρ,S
ψαλτ,τησ
Θ̅Υ̅εκλ
Σ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Βασιλ(εί)ῳ ὀστιαρ(ίῳ) (καὶ) ψάλτ(ῃ) τῆς Θ(εο)ῦ Μ(ε)γ(άλης) Ἐκλ(η)σ(ίας)

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God orans. At left and right, sigla: Μ̅Θ̅: Μ(ήτηρ) Θ(εοῦ). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines preceded by decoration, the last letter between two horizontal bars. Border of dots.


θκε,θ,
ασιλ,
οστιαρ,S
ψαλτ,τησ
Θ̅Υ̅εκλ
Σ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Βασιλ(εί)ῳ ὀστιαρ(ίῳ) (καὶ) ψάλτ(ῃ) τῆς Θ(εο)ῦ Μ(ε)γ(άλης) Ἐκλ(η)σ(ίας)

Accession number BZS.1947.2.775
Diameter 17.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 42.44b; Laurent, Corpus 5.1: no. 140 (Vienna 80 illustrated).

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Βασιλείῳ ὀστιαρίῳ καὶ ψάλτῃ τῆς Θεοῦ Μεγάλης Ἐκλησίας.

Mother of God, help Basil ostiarios and psaltes of the Great Church of God.

Commentary

The reading of this seal has been restored with reference to the better preserved parallel from the same boulloterion: BZS 1951.31.5.2111.

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)