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(Seal of the) monastery of Bonissa (ninth/tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin with a medallion of Christ before her. Traces of a circular inscription, beginning at seven o'clock. Border of dots.

...Rοηθτσδ.

[Θ(εοτό)κε] βοήθ(ει) τῷ σῷ δ(ούλῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of three lines. Border of dots.

μον
ησRον
ησησ

Μονῆς Βονήσης

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin with a medallion of Christ before her. Traces of a circular inscription, beginning at seven o'clock. Border of dots.

...Rοηθτσδ.

[Θ(εοτό)κε] βοήθ(ει) τῷ σῷ δ(ούλῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of three lines. Border of dots.

μον
ησRον
ησησ

Μονῆς Βονήσης

Accession number BZS.1958.106.74
Diameter 24.0 mm; field: 18.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 13.1; Laurent, Corpus V/2, no. 1241 ter. Cf. W. Seibt in ByzSl 35 (1974) 82.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ. Μονῆς Βονήσης.

Mother of God, help your servant. (Seal of) the Monastery of Bonissa.

Commentary

The monastery of the Virgin in Bonissa was located in Paphlagonia not far from Amastris. See Janin, Grands centres, 438; Paphlagonien, 179; Mikra Asia them., 283, note 72.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • La géographie ecclésiastique de l’empire byzantin, vol. 2, Les églises et les monastères des grands centres byzantins (Open in Zotero)
  • Paphlagonien und Honorias (Open in Zotero)
  • Η Μικρά Ασία των θεμάτων. Ἐρευνες πάνω στην γεωγραφική φυσιογνωμία και προσωπογραφία των βυζαντινών θεμάτων της Μικράς Ασίας (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)