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Details

LOT 1099

Byzantine Seal Matrix with Inscription

CIRCA 11TH-12TH CENTURY A.D.

3/4 in. (13.1 grams, 18 mm).

With inscription '+ΘKEB / OΘTO / ΔΟΛΟ / ΤΘΛΑ' for 'ΘΕΟΤΟΚΕ ΒΟΗΘΕI ΤΩ ΔΟΥΛΩ ΤΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΛΑΔΕ' (Mother of God, help Lades, the servant of God).

Provenance

From an important collection formed before 1988, London and Geneva.

Literature

Cf. Wamser, L., Die Welt von Byzanz - Europas Östliches Erbe, München, 2004, item 743, for type.

Footnotes

The stamp seals that have survived in large numbers from Byzantium are objects a few centimetres high and conical in shape, featuring a sealing surface at the lower end and a pendant at the upper end. They served the same function as signet rings and were used to seal everyday objects, primarily for personal purposes, using wax and other soft materials.

CONDITION

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AUCTIONS:

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LOT 1099

Byzantine Seal Matrix with Inscription

Estimate £120 - 170€140 - 200 (for guidance only)$160 - 230 (for guidance only)

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