Seal of Theodore

Creator

Preview

Creation Date

9th–10th centuries(?)

Geography

Eastern Mediterranean

Culture

Byzantine

Medium

Lead

Dimensions

Diameter: 7/8 in. (2.2 cm)
0.68 oz. (19.3 g)

Credit Line

Bequest of David P. Harris ('46), 2020

Accession Number

2020.117

Provenance

Purchased by David P. Harris from Julia Schottlander (Tetragon) in London on October 22, 1994.

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Obverse: a cruciform monogram that may be rendered Θεοτόκε βοήθει, "Theotokos help."

Reverse: a six-line inscription that begins and ends with a cross.

+

ΤΟVΔ

ΟVΛΟVC

ΟVΘΕΩ

ΔΩΡΟ

V+

τοῦ δούλου σοῦ Θεωδόρου

"thy servant Theodore"

Description

This seal features a monogram on the obverse that reads "Theotokos help," the beginning of a standard invocational inscription. The reverse continues the invocation: "thy servant Theodore." Note that the inscription on the reverse is in the genitive, rather than the usual dative.