Seal of Niketas chartophylax
SigiDoc ID: s-7iPhf2
Artifact
- Type
- Seal
- Matrix
- SigiDoc ID: m-8lKa0U
Physical description
- Medium
- Original impression
- Material
- Lead
- Shape
- Round
- Dimensions (mm)
- Diam. 28
- Weight (g)
- 16.9
- Channel orientation (clock)
- 6-12
- Axis (clock)
- ―
- Overstrike orientation (clock)
- ―
- Execution
- Struck
- Countermark
- ―
- Condition
- Βeige patina, corroded, cracked along the channel on the reverse and in the lower half of the channel on the obverse, weakly imprinted.
Dating
- Date
- 11th c., late
- Internal date
- ―
- Dating criteria
- Iconography, Epigraphy
- Alternative date
- ―
History
- Category
- Ecclesiastical
- Issuer
- Niketas
Milieu: Secular Church
Gender: Male - Place of origin
- ―
- Find place
- ―
- Find date
- ―
- Find circumstances
- ―
- Modern location
- Cologne (Germany)
- Institution and repository
- ―
- Collection and inventory
- Robert Feind Collection SB-292
- Acquisition
- ―
- Previous locations
- ―
- Modern observations
- ―
Obverse
- Language(s)
- Greek
- Layout of field
- Iconography
- Field dimensions (mm)
- ―
- Matrix
- ―
- Iconography
- The Mother of God standing three quarters to the left, her hands raised toward a mandorla containing the bust of Christ (Hagiosoritissa). Sigla partially preserved at right.
- Decoration
- Border of dots.
- Epigraphy
- ―
- Language(s)
- Greek
- Layout of field
- Legend of 5 lines.
- Field dimensions (mm)
- ―
- Matrix
- ―
- Iconography
- ―
- Decoration
- A cross at the beginning of the legend. Above, a decoration consisting of a X (?) between two dashes.
- Epigraphy
- ―
- [caption of the image]
- [caption of the image]
- Edition(s)
- Unpublished
- Parallel(s)
- No parallels known
- Further references
- No further references
Reverse
Images
RTI
Edition
obv
1Νική-
2[τ]α[ν] ῾Αγνή
3χαρτοφύ-
4λα[κ]α σκέ-
5ποις
a[Μ(ήτη)ρ] bΘ[(εο)ῦ]
rev 1Νική-
2[τ]α[ν] ῾Αγνή
3χαρτοφύ-
4λα[κ]α σκέ-
5ποις
Legend and translation
Μήτηρ Θεοῦ / Νικήταν ῾Αγνή χαρτοφύλακα σκέποις.
Mother of God. Pure one, may you protect Niketas chartophylax.
References
Commentary
The chartophylax Niketas is attested on another, more frequent seal type. The obverse depicts the bust of a Mother of God Hodegetria, the reverse bears the same legend as on the seal here presented [1].
Footnotes
[1]. PBW, Niketas 20147 with boulloterion 1410 . See Robert Feind Collection, SB-261 .