Anonymous (eleventh century)
Obverse
Bust of the Virgin orans. Sigla: ̣̅ΘΥ̣ : Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
Bust of St Nicholas, blessing with his right hand and holding a gospel book with his left. Inscription in two columns: .|Ν̣|Ι̣|Κ,Λ̣|.|.|. : [ὁ ἅ(γιος)] Νικ(ό)λ[αος]. Border of dots.
Obverse
Bust of the Virgin orans. Sigla: ̣̅ΘΥ̣ : Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
Bust of St Nicholas, blessing with his right hand and holding a gospel book with his left. Inscription in two columns: .|Ν̣|Ι̣|Κ,Λ̣|.|.|. : [ὁ ἅ(γιος)] Νικ(ό)λ[αος]. Border of dots.
| Accession number | BZS.1955.1.1863 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 25.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 7, 5.20. |
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 7: The Iconographic Seals (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Nicholas’ gospel book is decorated with a central cross, composed of pellets, which is surrounded by three pellets in each of the corners of the cover. This is a rare design. Usually the gospel cover has rows of pellets, a cross made up of lines, or five pellets, one in the center and one in each corner. The only similar sphragistic examples appear on one of the seal-types issued by Constantine X Doukas (1059-1065), which has the pellet-cross but no surrounding pellets (Genève, no. 12 and DOSeals 6, no. 77.7), and a seal issued by a Humbert, vestes and strategos, assigned to the third quarter of the eleventh century but which has the pellet-cross at the center of the gospel cover with a singe pellet in each of the corners (Genève, no. 98).