export asSigiDoc ID: s-ZdR3IH
Artifact
- Type
- Seal
- Matrix
- SigiDoc ID: m-r2oBFp
Physical description
- Medium
- Original impression
- Material
- Lead
- Shape
- Round
- Dimensions (mm)
- Diam. 28
- Weight (g)
- ―
- Channel orientation (clock)
- 1-7
- Axis (clock)
- ―
- Overstrike orientation (clock)
- ―
- Execution
- Struck
- Countermark
- ―
- Condition
- Heavily trimmed, particularly on the left-hand side (when looking at the obverse), with deep indentations at the channel openings, especially the upper one: this state of preservation has resulted in the loss of a large half of the monogram on the obverse and of the end of the lenged's lines on the reverse.
Dating
- Date
- 9th C., first half.
- Internal date
- ―
- Dating criteria
- Historical context, Titulature, Related seal
- Alternative date
- ―
History
- Category
- Provincial administration
- Issuer
- Arsavir (PmbZ: 604)
Milieu: Military
Gender: Male - Place of origin
- Thessalonica
- Find place
- ―
- Find date
- ―
- Find circumstances
- ―
- Modern location
- Paris (France)
- Institution and repository
- Institut Catholique de Paris, Institut Français d’Études Byzantines
- Collection and inventory
- IFEB 706 (olim 799)
- Acquisition
- ―
- Previous locations
- ―
- Modern observations
- ―
Obverse
- Language(s)
- Greek
- Layout of field
- Cruciform invocative monogram of an undefined type due to the state of preservation of the seal: the presence of the central theta, the eta at the right end and the beta at the lower end suggests the Laurent V or VIII type; the monogram is flanked by the usual syllables.
- Field dimensions (mm)
- ―
- Matrix
- ―
- Iconography
- ―
- Decoration
- Wreath border.
- Epigraphy
- ―
Reverse
- Language(s)
- Greek
- Layout of field
- Linear legend of 4 lines.
- Field dimensions (mm)
- ―
- Matrix
- ―
- Iconography
- ―
- Decoration
- Wreath border; a crosslet with the lower branch longer than the others precedes the beginning of the legend on the same line.
- Epigraphy
- ―
Images
- Digital image of the obverse.
- Digital image of the reverse.
Edition
Apparatus
3-4: La présence de respectivement 2 e 1 lettres à la fin semble justifiée par la perte subie par le sceau, mais elle reste néanmoins hypothétique.
Legend and translation
Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ / + Ἀρσαβὴρ βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατηγῷ Θεσσαλονίκης.
Mother of God help your servant Arsavir, imperial protospatharios and strategos of Thessalonica.
References
- Edition(s)
- Unpublished
- Parallel(s)
- No parallels known
- Further references
- No further references
Commentary
Un sceau très proche, mais qui n'est pas un parallèle, appartient à la collection Dumbarton Oaks (BZS.1955.1.697), provenant de l'ancienne collection Zacos: Zacos, 1, 1739 = DO Seals, 1, 18.61 = DO Seals, Online Catalogue, BZS.1955.1.697 ; voir aussi PmbZ Online, 604 .