Byzantine Lead Seal of Nikephoros (1,250 years ago)
This lead seal was created in the Byzantine Empire during the 8th century AD. Such seals were used to authenticate official documents and correspondence in the Byzantine administrative system.
Description:
Front side: A cruciform monogram (letters arranged in the shape of a cross) with the inscription meaning "Mother of God help your servant."
Back side: The inscription "ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΩ ΥΠΑΤΩ" (Nikephoros Consul), indicating the seal belonged to an official named Nikephoros who held the rank of consul (hypatos).
Technical Details:
Material: Lead
Size: 1.25 inches diameter
Period: 8th century AD (Middle Byzantine period)
Preservation: Exceptionally sharp and clear example
Language: Greek
Historical Significance:
This seal represents the sophisticated Byzantine bureaucratic system that maintained detailed records and authenticated documents throughout the empire's vast territories. The religious invocation to the Virgin Mary demonstrates the deep integration of Orthodox Christianity into official Byzantine government functions during this period. The title "hypatos" (consul) reveals important information about the Byzantine administrative hierarchy in the 8th century, when the empire was reorganizing its provincial system while facing threats from Arab expansion into territories of modern-day Turkey, Greece, and parts of the Balkans.
This lead seal was created in the Byzantine Empire during the 8th century AD. Such seals were used to authenticate official documents and correspondence in the Byzantine administrative system.
Description:
Front side: A cruciform monogram (letters arranged in the shape of a cross) with the inscription meaning "Mother of God help your servant."
Back side: The inscription "ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΩ ΥΠΑΤΩ" (Nikephoros Consul), indicating the seal belonged to an official named Nikephoros who held the rank of consul (hypatos).
Technical Details:
Material: Lead
Size: 1.25 inches diameter
Period: 8th century AD (Middle Byzantine period)
Preservation: Exceptionally sharp and clear example
Language: Greek
Historical Significance:
This seal represents the sophisticated Byzantine bureaucratic system that maintained detailed records and authenticated documents throughout the empire's vast territories. The religious invocation to the Virgin Mary demonstrates the deep integration of Orthodox Christianity into official Byzantine government functions during this period. The title "hypatos" (consul) reveals important information about the Byzantine administrative hierarchy in the 8th century, when the empire was reorganizing its provincial system while facing threats from Arab expansion into territories of modern-day Turkey, Greece, and parts of the Balkans.
This lead seal was created in the Byzantine Empire during the 8th century AD. Such seals were used to authenticate official documents and correspondence in the Byzantine administrative system.
Description:
Front side: A cruciform monogram (letters arranged in the shape of a cross) with the inscription meaning "Mother of God help your servant."
Back side: The inscription "ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΩ ΥΠΑΤΩ" (Nikephoros Consul), indicating the seal belonged to an official named Nikephoros who held the rank of consul (hypatos).
Technical Details:
Material: Lead
Size: 1.25 inches diameter
Period: 8th century AD (Middle Byzantine period)
Preservation: Exceptionally sharp and clear example
Language: Greek
Historical Significance:
This seal represents the sophisticated Byzantine bureaucratic system that maintained detailed records and authenticated documents throughout the empire's vast territories. The religious invocation to the Virgin Mary demonstrates the deep integration of Orthodox Christianity into official Byzantine government functions during this period. The title "hypatos" (consul) reveals important information about the Byzantine administrative hierarchy in the 8th century, when the empire was reorganizing its provincial system while facing threats from Arab expansion into territories of modern-day Turkey, Greece, and parts of the Balkans.
