Samuel Chousenios patrikios (?) (tenth/eleventh century)
Obverse
Bust of the Virgin within a nimbus and wearing a maphorion. Before her, the Christ child with nimbus. Sigla: ΜΡ̅ΘΥ̅ : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
Arabic inscription in three lines. Border of dots.
بالله. سمعول خوسن (؟) بت(ر)ق
Obverse
Bust of the Virgin within a nimbus and wearing a maphorion. Before her, the Christ child with nimbus. Sigla: ΜΡ̅ΘΥ̅ : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
Arabic inscription in three lines. Border of dots.
بالله. سمعول خوسن (؟) بت(ر)ق
| Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.3747 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 18.0 mm |
| Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
Μήτηρ Θεοῦ. بالله. سمعول خوسن (؟) بتق
Mother of God. God. Samuel Chousenios patrikios (?)
Commentary
The name Samuel is oddly spelt in Arabic here, clearly not the normal Arabic version (صموال), but a Greek transliteration. This must be the seal of an Arab Christian, between the Hellenized version of Samuel and the portrait of the Virgin Mary. It is additionally possible that the first word of the second line might actually read سمعون, "listen." The second word of the second line is difficult to interpret; it is seemingly some sort of family name, as it seems impossible to read any office or title. It clearly reads خ/ج/ح و/ف/ق then reads at least two letters afterwards, possibly three: most likely س/ش ل/د/ذ, though it could read س/شيل/د/ذ, or .ب/ت/ث ي . The most likely interpretation of this is the name Chousenios, cf. BZS.1951.31.5.718. Otherwise, it may read something like جوسل or جوسد.
The last line of the Arabic inscription seems to read two letters, د/ذ و/ف/ق, or three letters, ب/ت/ث ب/ت/ث و/ف/ق. If it is the latter, it is possible that it reads بتق (b-t-q), a possible abbreviation for πατρίκιος.