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The monastery of the Panachrantos (eleventh/twelfth century)

 
 

Obverse

Seemingly a bust of the Mother of God. Nimbus visible and the letter Θ at right. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, preceded by decoration. Border of dots.


ποιμσ
μοναν
τησπανα
χραντου
τυπ

Ποίμνης μοναστῶν τῆς Παναχράντου τύπ(ος)

Obverse

Seemingly a bust of the Mother of God. Nimbus visible and the letter Θ at right. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, preceded by decoration. Border of dots.


ποιμσ
μοναν
τησπανα
χραντου
τυπ

Ποίμνης μοναστῶν τῆς Παναχράντου τύπ(ος)

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.2820
Diameter 23.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 51.1; Laurent, Corpus 5.2: no. 1169 (with misreading). See also Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden II, no. 1805.

Translation

Ποίμνης μοναστῶν τῆς Παναχράντου τύπος.

Seal of the monastic flock (community)  of the Immaculate Virgin.

Commentary

Twelve-syllable verse. Laurent read the first word of the inscription on the reverse as πατριαρχικοῦ and the last two lines of the reverse as Θε(ο)τόκ(ου).

The earliest mention of this monastery dates from 1073. It was famous for two relics: the head of St. Basil and the footprints of St. Paul. Later it became a nunnery, perhaps in the second half of the fourteenth century. It was located in the area of St. Sophia. Janin, Églises, 214–25.

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)
  • La géographie ecclésiastique de l’empire byzantin, Vol. 1, Le siège de Constantinople et le patriarcat oecuménique, Pt. 3, Les églises et les monastères (Open in Zotero)