New sphragistic finds from the town of Pomorie

Authors:

Pages: 34-45

Abstract:

The main focus of this article is the primary publication of several sphragistic finds discovered in 2014 as a result of archaeological excavations in the town of Pomorie (the ancient and medieval Anchialos). The finds are as follows: 1. Molybdobul of Pakurianos Arshakides, protokuropalates (1080s – beginning of 12th c.), fig. 1 – 2. The specimen was imprinted with the same boulloterion as the example published by W. Seibt (Seibt, W. ‘Arsakídis ..., JÖB, 44, N. 6b). 2. Lead seal with metrical inscription, which belonged to a clergyman (second half of 11th c.), with image of St Basil the Great on the obverse, fig. 3 – 4. There are no known parallels to this seal. It probably belonged to certain Bishop or Metropolitan, who wrote to the spiritual leader of Anchialos. 3. Early Byzantine lead seal or trade stamp with a block monogram (6th – 7th c.), fig. 5, there are no known parallels. 4. Early Byzantine lead seal or trade stamp with a block monogram (6th – 7th c.), fig. 6, there are no known parallels. The last two artifacts were initially two completely separate items, which later interconnect and formed an ingot with a very irregular round shape, weight of 20,83 g., size of 25 mm in its widest point. The thickness of the ingot in its different parts varies between 4 and 8 mm. On both sides, some pieces had been broken off and in those places it is visible to the naked eye that the resulting overall lead body actually consists of two welded together individual layers. The block-monogram of the second stamp is much larger than the first one (the overall size of the monogram, as well as the size of its components) and it was rotated, in comparison with the first one to 40 – 45° counter clockwise. This also proves the conclusion that the found ingot is not a fragment of a lead seal or trade stamp, but actually represents two originally completely separate lead imprints. 5. Byzantine lead seal with a metrical legend, probably of a private person (12th c.), fig. 7 – 8, there are no known parallels. The published finds not only enrich the amount of sphragistic artifacts connected to Pomorie, but also contribute to the understanding of the life of medieval Anchialos.

Keywords:

lead seals, protokuropalates, Pakurianos Arshakides, Byzantium, Anchialos, metrical legend, bishop, monograms.

Download

NA / Armenia / Bulgaria / China / Cote D'Ivoire / France / Germany / Greece / Macedonia / Portugal / Romania / Russian Federation / Sweden / Ukraine / United Kingdom / United States