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Aoutitzes, monk (eleventh/twelfth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin, nimbate, holding Christ on her right arm. Inscription visible on right: ΘΥ: Μ(ήτη)ρ Θεοῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines, decoration above. Border of dots.


ΣΚΕΠΕ
ΠΑΡΘΕΝΕ
ΕΥΤΕΛΗΑ
ΤΙΤ

Σκέπε, Παρθένε, εὐτελῇ Ἀουτίτζ

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin, nimbate, holding Christ on her right arm. Inscription visible on right: ΘΥ: Μ(ήτη)ρ Θεοῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines, decoration above. Border of dots.


ΣΚΕΠΕ
ΠΑΡΘΕΝΕ
ΕΥΤΕΛΗΑ
ΤΙΤ

Σκέπε, Παρθένε, εὐτελῇ Ἀουτίτζ

Accession number BZS 1955.1.5005
Diameter 23.0 mm; field: 17.0 mm
Previous Editions

Seibt-Nesbitt, "Odd surnames," no. 6. See also Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden II, no. 5005.

Translation

Σκέπε, Παρθένε, εὐτελῇ Ἀουτίτζῃ.

Virgin, watch over the unworthy Aoutitzes.

Commentary

The epithet εὐτελής (here rendered as "unworthy" but also conveying the poverty and humility of the owner) makes it all but certain that the owner was a monk. His name, found at the end of the reverse inscription, should be accepted, given that the epigraphy is relatively clear and the reading secure enough, but it is otherwise unattested. It appears to be a family name, thus leaving us without the owner's personal or monastic name. On the form of the name and possible etymologies, see the edition of Seibt-Nesbitt.

Bibliography

  • Odd Surnames beginning with Alpha. A Selection of Examples of Byzantine Seals in the Harvard Collections (Open in Zotero)