Anonymous (twelfth century, second half)
Obverse
The Presentation of Christ (Luke 2: 22-34). In the center is the Christ Child, held by the Virgin who is standing at the left. Symeon is at the right. Beneath Christ is an altar with a cloth decorated with a cross; possible traces of an illegible inscription between the heads of Christ and Symeon. Inscription in two columns: Η|Π|ΑΠ|Α||Τ|Ι: [ἡ] Ἡπαπαντί. Border of dots.
Reverse
A female saint standing (in all likelihood St Anna, from the Hypapante scene on the obverse); the inscription and image are damaged through left side. Inscription in two columns (only left survives): Η|Α|ΓΙ|Α: ἡ ἁγία ... . Border of dots.
Obverse
The Presentation of Christ (Luke 2: 22-34). In the center is the Christ Child, held by the Virgin who is standing at the left. Symeon is at the right. Beneath Christ is an altar with a cloth decorated with a cross; possible traces of an illegible inscription between the heads of Christ and Symeon. Inscription in two columns: Η|Π|ΑΠ|Α||Τ|Ι: [ἡ] Ἡπαπαντί. Border of dots.
Reverse
A female saint standing (in all likelihood St Anna, from the Hypapante scene on the obverse); the inscription and image are damaged through left side. Inscription in two columns (only left survives): Η|Α|ΓΙ|Α: ἡ ἁγία ... . Border of dots.
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.1981 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 20.0 mm; field: 16.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 7, 2.10. |
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 7: The Iconographic Seals (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Among published seals, there are just two examples with the scene of the Presentation of Christ: Laurent, Corpus 2, no. 554, (tenth century), and Šandrovskaja, “Sfragistika,” no. 774, (eleventh century). See Cotsonis, "Narrative scenes," 63-64, and the commentary to this seal in DO Seals 7 on the identification of Anna.