Nikephoros bishop of Belebouzdion (eleventh century)
Obverse
A bust (of St. Nikephoros) holding a small martyr's cross. No inscription visible. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of five lines with decoration above, the final two letters between bars. Border of dots.
·
ΘΚΕ,Θ,
ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡ
.ΠΙΣΚΟΠ
ΕΛΕ.
ΣΔ,
Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Νικηφόρ(ῳ) [ἐ]πισκόπ(ῳ) Βελεβ[ου]σδ(ίου)
Obverse
A bust (of St. Nikephoros) holding a small martyr's cross. No inscription visible. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of five lines with decoration above, the final two letters between bars. Border of dots.
·
ΘΚΕ,Θ,
ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡ
.ΠΙΣΚΟΠ
ΕΛΕ.
ΣΔ,
Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Νικηφόρ(ῳ) [ἐ]πισκόπ(ῳ) Βελεβ[ου]σδ(ίου)
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.153 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 19.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 1, no. 31.2b. |
Translation
Θεοτόκε βοήθει Νικηφόρῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Βελεβουσδίου.
Mother of God, help Nikephoros bishop of Belebouzdion.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 1: Italy, North of the Balkans, North of the Black Sea (Open in Zotero)
- Le fonds Coislin (Open in Zotero)
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Belebouzdion, the Slavic name of modern Köstendil, was a suffragan bishopric of Ohrid. Cf. Laurent, Corpus V/2, 329.
As Laurent suggested, it is not impossible that the owner of this seal is Nikephoros of Belebouzdion who signed codex Coislin 72 in 1071-72: R. Devreesse, Le fonds Coislin, 64. This specimen is very similar to BZS.1951.31.5.215 but comes from a different boulloterion.