★ Byzantine lead seal of John Marchiaphapos protospatharios epi tou chrysotriklinou ★

Byzantine lead seal of John Marchiaphapos protospatharios epi tou chrysotriklinou (ca. 12th cent.)

. Condition: Obv. somewhat trimmed, scuffs in either side, otherwise about Very Fine. Very well centered example!

Obverse: The bust of the Mother of God, facial, nimbate, with infant Jesus Christ on her left hand, also nimbate, facial and blessing, holding the Book of the Gospels, the usual inscription [Μ(ΗΤΗ)Ρ]- Θ(ΕΟ)Υ = Μήτηρ Θεοῦ (Mother of God), all within a dotted border.

Reverse: Inscription in 6 lines, all within a dotted border: + Θ(ΕΟΤΟ)ΚΕ Β(ΟΗ)Θ(ΕΙ)/ ΤΩ CΩ ΔΟΥ(ΛΩ)/ΙΩ(ΑΝΝΗ) ΠΡΩΤΟCΠΑΘ(ΑΡΙΩ)/ΕΠΙ Τ(ΟΥ) ΧΡ(ΥCΟ)ΤΡΙΚ[Λ(ΙΝΟΥ)]/ΤΩ ΜΑΡΧΙ[Α]/ΦΑΠΩ= Θεοτόκε, βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ἰωάννῃ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ, ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικλίνου, τῷ Μαρχιαφάπῳ (Mother of God, help your servant John Marchiaphapos protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou).

"Chrysotriklinos" (golden hall) was a hall in the Great Palace in Constantinoupolis, probably constructed at the end of the 6th cent. (vd. Kazhdan, Alexander, ed. (1991), Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, Oxford University Press, pp. 455-456).

Weight: 20.02
Diameter: 29 mm