Anonymous (eleventh century, second half)
Obverse
The Virgin holding Christ on her left arm; Christ holds a closed scroll in his left hand. Sigla: ̣̅ΘΥ : Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
St Prokopios, sanding at left, in civil costume, holding a small cross with his left hand, his right hand is obscured, and St Menas, in civil costume, standing at right, holding a small cross in his right hand, his left hand is obscured. Inscription in three columns. Flanking Prokopios: ̣|Π̣|Ρ|ΟΚ|Ο|ΠΙ|Ο, : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Προκόπιο(ς). Flanking Menas: |Μ|Η,Ν̣|.|Σ̣ : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Μην[ᾶ]ς. Border of dots.
Obverse
The Virgin holding Christ on her left arm; Christ holds a closed scroll in his left hand. Sigla: ̣̅ΘΥ : Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
St Prokopios, sanding at left, in civil costume, holding a small cross with his left hand, his right hand is obscured, and St Menas, in civil costume, standing at right, holding a small cross in his right hand, his left hand is obscured. Inscription in three columns. Flanking Prokopios: ̣|Π̣|Ρ|ΟΚ|Ο|ΠΙ|Ο, : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Προκόπιο(ς). Flanking Menas: |Μ|Η,Ν̣|.|Σ̣ : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Μην[ᾶ]ς. Border of dots.
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.3890 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 26.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 7, no. 8.8. |
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 7: The Iconographic Seals (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Prokopios holds his martyr’s cross in his left hand instead of the customary right hand. This is very unusual given that his right hand appears to be free and is covered by the folds of his mantle. Possibly the engraver intended to balance the images of the hand-held crosses as mirror images flanking the central column of the inscription.
St Prokopios, a military saint, was martyred during the persecutions of Diocletian. He appears on only forty-three seals dating from the tenth to the thirteenth century. On his representation in military or civil garb, see Walter, Warrior Saints, 94-100. The Means shown on this seal is the military saint from Egypt, also martyred during the Diocletian era. He is found on just nine seals, always garbed in civil costume and holding a martyr's cross. On his cult and iconography, see Walter, Warrior Saints, 181-90.