Merkourios monk and presbyteros of the Imperial Monastery (eleventh century)
Obverse
Bust of St. George holding a spear in his right hand and a shield in his left. Remains of inscription at right: γε| : [Ὁ ἅ(γιος)] Γεώ[ργι(ος)]. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
κε.
μερκρ
.Α̅Χ̅πρε
.υτερ,τι
.̅⸣μονισ
Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)[θ(ει)] Μερκουρ(ί)[ῳ] (μον)αχ(ῷ) (καὶ) πρεσβυτέρ(ῳ) τῖ[ς] Β(ασιλικῆς) Μονῖς
Obverse
Bust of St. George holding a spear in his right hand and a shield in his left. Remains of inscription at right: γε| : [Ὁ ἅ(γιος)] Γεώ[ργι(ος)]. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
κε.
μερκρ
.Α̅Χ̅πρε
.υτερ,τι
.̅⸣μονισ
Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)[θ(ει)] Μερκουρ(ί)[ῳ] (μον)αχ(ῷ) (καὶ) πρεσβυτέρ(ῳ) τῖ[ς] Β(ασιλικῆς) Μονῖς
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.386 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 18.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 5 no. 78.6; Laurent, Corpus 5.3: no. 1904 (with misreading). |
Translation
Κύριε βοήθει Μερκουρίῳ μοναχῷ καὶ πρεσβυτέρῳ τῖς Βασιλικῆς Μονῖς.
Lord, help Merkourios, monk and presbyteros of the Imperial Monastery.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 5: The East (continued), Constantinople and Environs, Unknown Locations, Addenda, Uncertain Readings (Open in Zotero)
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Line 5 (reverse): Laurent incorrectly read the last word as μονῆ<ς>.
A similar seal is to be found in Paris in the Zacos Collection (BnF 3706). The reverse reads: Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) Μερκουρίῳ (μον)αχ(ῷ) (καὶ) πρεσβυτέρ(ῳ) τῖ[ς] Β(ασιλικῆς) Μονῖς.
Laurent (Corpus 5.3: nos. 1904–5) published only two of several specimens from the Dumbarton Oaks collections attesting the existence of a monastery known as the "Imperial," an establishment that, under this name at least, is not otherwise known.