Anonymous (eleventh century, second half)
Obverse
Bust of Christ Christ, with cruciform nimbus with a pellet in each crossarm; blessing with his right hand; holding a gospel book in his left. Sigla: ισ̅χσ̅ : Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.
Reverse
Bust of the Virgin orans with a medallion of Christ before her. Sigla: ̅..: Μ(ήτη)ρ [Θ(εο)ῦ]. Border of dots.
Obverse
Bust of Christ Christ, with cruciform nimbus with a pellet in each crossarm; blessing with his right hand; holding a gospel book in his left. Sigla: ισ̅χσ̅ : Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.
Reverse
Bust of the Virgin orans with a medallion of Christ before her. Sigla: ̅..: Μ(ήτη)ρ [Θ(εο)ῦ]. Border of dots.
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.1004 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 21.0 mm; field: 18.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 7, no. 1.7. |
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 7: The Iconographic Seals (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
On the obverse and reverse, the borders are formed by thick round dots in high relief and framed by incised lines. Such borders are found among the published collections on securely datable seals belonging to the second half of the eleventh century. On this specimen, the nimbi of both Christ and the Virgin are rendered as dots instead of in the more common linear style.