Arabic seal (tenth/eleventh century)
Obverse
Arabic inscription in one line. Wreath border.
رعيت[ه] لله
Reverse
Arabic inscription in one line. Wreath border.
والمس[يح] ؟
Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.3740 |
---|---|
Diameter | 23.0 mm |
Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
رعيته لله. والمس[يح] ؟
Parish/Flock of God. And the messiah (?)
Commentary
This is a strange seal; it seems more like a token. Even though there is a channel, the seal does not seem to record a name, but some sort of Arabic religious formula. The word رعية can have both a Christian ("parish") and Islamic meaning ("flock" for God or God's allotment to humans). Additionally, the seal is overstruck, rendering the sides worn, and making it likely that some letters are cut off.