John (eleventh century, second half)
Obverse
Standing figure of the Mother of God, her hands upraised in prayer. On either side, an inscription: ̅ΘΥ̅: Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.
Obverse
Standing figure of the Mother of God, her hands upraised in prayer. On either side, an inscription: ̅ΘΥ̅: Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of five lines beginning with a cross. Border of dots.
ΠΡΑ
ΕΙΣΣ
Ρ̣ΑΓΙΚ̣Α̣
Ι̣ΛΟΓΣ̣
Ι̅
πράξεις σφραγίζω καὶ λόγους Ἰω(άννου)
Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.423 |
---|---|
Diameter | 20.0 mm |
Previous Editions | Cf. Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden II, no. 1823 (with a different, somewhat improbable reading). |
Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
πράξεις σφραγίζω καὶ λόγους Ἰωάννου.
I seal John's acts and correspondence.
Bibliography
- Corpus der byzantinischen Siegel mit metrischen Legenden, Vol. 2, Siegellegenden von Ny bis inklusive Sphragis (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
The reading of the inscription is not wholly satisfactory. The inscription seems to present a commonplace formula, but the last two letters of the third line are not clear, and the first letter of the following line appears to be the standard abbreviation for καὶ (S). We have read these letters as καὶ, but with misgivings. Wassiliou-Seibt read the last letter of the fourth line as Ο and transcribed the last part as ὁ Ἰω(άννης); but in our mind, the Ο is in fact C (poorly engraved) and forms the last letter of λὀγους.