Papers by ioanna Koltsida-Makri
ΑΡΧΑΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΑ ΑΝΑΛΕΚΤΑ ΕΞ ΑΘΗΝΩΝ, 1983
The article deals with a byzantine lead seal coming from Laconia (Greece) . The seal was seized a... more The article deals with a byzantine lead seal coming from Laconia (Greece) . The seal was seized and taken to the Sparti Museum in 1980. It belongs to Rentakios Vasilikos protospatharios epi ton oikeiakon. It is dated to the end of the 10th century and the beginning of the 11th c. A list of the persons named Rendakios is cited.
Studies in Byzantine Sigillography (2003), 2003
The paper deals with various epithets of the Virgin inscribed on lead seals as a contribution to ... more The paper deals with various epithets of the Virgin inscribed on lead seals as a contribution to the iconography of the Mother of Cod.
Studies in Byzantine Sigillography, Volume 9, 2006
The paper deals with some new acquisitions of the Athens Numismatic Museum Collections in the yea... more The paper deals with some new acquisitions of the Athens Numismatic Museum Collections in the years 1995-2000, dating from the 7th to the 13th centuries.
STUDIES IN BYZANTINE SIGILLOGRAPHY 2, 1990
The paper deals with three overstruck Byzantine lead seals, two from the Athens Numismatic Museum... more The paper deals with three overstruck Byzantine lead seals, two from the Athens Numismatic Museum and one from the Archaeological Collection of Arta. The conclusion reveals three different reasons for the reuse of the seals, belonging to high-rank byzantine officials.
οβολός 9, ΤΟ ΝΟΜΙΣΜΑ ΣΤΑ ΝΗΣΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΙΓΑΙΟΥ ΠΡΑΚΤΙΚΑ ΣΥΝΕΔΡΙΟΥ ΤΗΣ Ε΄ΕΠΙΣΤΗΜΟΝΙΚΗΣ ΣΥΝΑΝΤΗΣΗΣ, 2010
The paper presents some Byzantine lead seals of Chios dated from the 7th to early 12th centuries,... more The paper presents some Byzantine lead seals of Chios dated from the 7th to early 12th centuries, which reveal substantial evidence for the administrative and ecclesiastical organization on the island.
STUDIES OF BYZANTINE SIGILLOGRAPHY 4, EDITED BY NICOLAS OIKONOMIDES, 1994
This article deals with the representation of the cross on Byzantine lead seals from the 7th to 1... more This article deals with the representation of the cross on Byzantine lead seals from the 7th to 11th centuries. The conclusion is that in the period of the Macedonian Rennaisance the Byzantines showed a great interest in the sign of the cross. This choice may be combined with the intention of spreading the message of the victory obtained by this symbol over the enemies.
ΕΓΚΑΡΔΙΩΣ, ΑΦΙΕΡΩΜΑ ΣΤΟΝ ΝΙΚΟ ΖΙΑ, 2021
ABSTRACT
The contribution of lead seals to the study of Byzantine iconography is particularly imp... more ABSTRACT
The contribution of lead seals to the study of Byzantine iconography is particularly important, because the owners of these tiny monuments depicted on them the holy persons of their preference, using as models the icons and frescoes adorning the churches of the Empire. Their choice depends upon a variety of criteria such as: the homonymous with the owner saint, the particular bonds of the depicted saint with the city mentioned on the seal (e. g. Saint Demetrios might point out Thessaloniki, as the patron saint of the city, Saint Andrew Patras, Saint Theodore the East Provinces of the Empire and so on) or the status of the holder (e. g. a military officer may choose a military saint to decorate his seal) as well as protectors saints that have been family tradition, as for example St George for the Komnenoi or St Mark for the Xeroi. Furthermore, for the reason that lead seals can be precisely dated, due to their typology and the evidence provided by their inscriptions, images in good condition offer the ability to gain direct knowledge of the byzantine icons ‘style.
BREPOLS, 2019
The paper deals with the Collection of Byzantine Bread Stamps in the Louliw Museum (Aghiou Georgi... more The paper deals with the Collection of Byzantine Bread Stamps in the Louliw Museum (Aghiou Georgiou Mills), Piraeus, Greec
Studies of Byzantine Sigillography 9, 2006
The paper deals with some new acquisitions of the Athens Numismatic Museum Collections in the yea... more The paper deals with some new acquisitions of the Athens Numismatic Museum Collections in the years 1995-2000, dating from the 7th to the 13th centuries.
Studies of Byzantine Sigillography 8, 2003
The paper deals with various epithets of the Virgin inscribed on lead seals as a contribution to ... more The paper deals with various epithets of the Virgin inscribed on lead seals as a contribution to the iconography of the Mother of Cod.
Studies in Byzantine Sigillography 9, 2006
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the ecclesiastical and admnistrative history of Cre... more The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the ecclesiastical and admnistrative history of Crete with lead seals found on the island and confiscated in 2001.
HYPERMACHOS, FESTSCHRIFT FUR WERNER SEIBT, 2008
The article deals with the private collection of byzantine lead seals belonging to Mr Demetrios D... more The article deals with the private collection of byzantine lead seals belonging to Mr Demetrios Doukas, as a contibution to historical research for byzantine prosopography and administration.
IOANNA KOLTSIDA - MAKRI , 2013
The seal as a symbol of power and high social rank is dated to very ancient times. The double fun... more The seal as a symbol of power and high social rank is dated to very ancient times. The double function of the seal as the substitute of a signature and the unbreakable device to preserve the integrity of
correspondence remained basically unchanged during its historical course.
The Byzantines used mainly lead seals to secure their documents. These seals were produced by a very practical pliers-like instrument called boulloterion, with two cylindrical heads on which the dies were engraved. Blank lead disks were pressed between the heads to receive the imprint, creating a channel to close around the cord, which attached the seal to the document.
On the seal were engraved all the essential elements of the owner: the name, the title,the office, the place, so the object contained the presumption of the owner’s identity. Usually the officials tried to keep the same type of seal, to be easily acknowledged by the receiver of the document. Some lead seals are overstruck suggesting that the lead
itself was considered of some value. Silver and gold were also used to make seals but only on a very limited scale. These seals were exclusively used by the emperors and the despots, under special circumstances. The gold seal, with its red or purple silk cord, was reserved
for the emperor and documents sealed with it are called chrysobulls.
Leadseals are coming to light on all the territory of the ex Byzantine Empire, especially on the shores of Marmara Sea in Constantinople, where all the debris from construction works are collected. The richest collection of seals are those of the Dumbarton Oaks in Washigton D.C. (17.000 pieces) and the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg
(16.000 pieces). The Athens Numismatic Museum has got more than 2.500 pieces. Very important for the scientific research are the seals coming from excavations and generally those of known origin.
The typology of the seals is various and impressive. They bear inscriptions, monograms and images of the Virgin, Jesus Christ, Saints, crosses, holy scenes, animals and other depictions. During the period of the Iconoclasis the use of the invocative cruciform monogram was very popular. Since the 11th century metrical inscriptions were often used.
Very interesting is the special category of seals of kommerkiarioi, fiscal officials of high rank, controllers of trade on the frontier, collecting tolls and obtaining the monopoly of silk trade. They had the right to display the image of the emperor on their seals, the induction for which each seal was valid, and name the warehouse of the province under their jurisdiction. Another special category is that of the anonymous seals, usually decorated with images of the Virgin and Saints, or bearing metrical inscriptions. The lead seals consist a solid and very important historical source for the study of Byzantine society and administration, the historical topography and iconography as well.
Lead seals from excavations and of known origin in Greece and their importance as a historical s... more Lead seals from excavations and of known origin in Greece and their importance as a historical source for byzantine prosopography, administration and topography
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Papers by ioanna Koltsida-Makri
The contribution of lead seals to the study of Byzantine iconography is particularly important, because the owners of these tiny monuments depicted on them the holy persons of their preference, using as models the icons and frescoes adorning the churches of the Empire. Their choice depends upon a variety of criteria such as: the homonymous with the owner saint, the particular bonds of the depicted saint with the city mentioned on the seal (e. g. Saint Demetrios might point out Thessaloniki, as the patron saint of the city, Saint Andrew Patras, Saint Theodore the East Provinces of the Empire and so on) or the status of the holder (e. g. a military officer may choose a military saint to decorate his seal) as well as protectors saints that have been family tradition, as for example St George for the Komnenoi or St Mark for the Xeroi. Furthermore, for the reason that lead seals can be precisely dated, due to their typology and the evidence provided by their inscriptions, images in good condition offer the ability to gain direct knowledge of the byzantine icons ‘style.
correspondence remained basically unchanged during its historical course.
The Byzantines used mainly lead seals to secure their documents. These seals were produced by a very practical pliers-like instrument called boulloterion, with two cylindrical heads on which the dies were engraved. Blank lead disks were pressed between the heads to receive the imprint, creating a channel to close around the cord, which attached the seal to the document.
On the seal were engraved all the essential elements of the owner: the name, the title,the office, the place, so the object contained the presumption of the owner’s identity. Usually the officials tried to keep the same type of seal, to be easily acknowledged by the receiver of the document. Some lead seals are overstruck suggesting that the lead
itself was considered of some value. Silver and gold were also used to make seals but only on a very limited scale. These seals were exclusively used by the emperors and the despots, under special circumstances. The gold seal, with its red or purple silk cord, was reserved
for the emperor and documents sealed with it are called chrysobulls.
Leadseals are coming to light on all the territory of the ex Byzantine Empire, especially on the shores of Marmara Sea in Constantinople, where all the debris from construction works are collected. The richest collection of seals are those of the Dumbarton Oaks in Washigton D.C. (17.000 pieces) and the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg
(16.000 pieces). The Athens Numismatic Museum has got more than 2.500 pieces. Very important for the scientific research are the seals coming from excavations and generally those of known origin.
The typology of the seals is various and impressive. They bear inscriptions, monograms and images of the Virgin, Jesus Christ, Saints, crosses, holy scenes, animals and other depictions. During the period of the Iconoclasis the use of the invocative cruciform monogram was very popular. Since the 11th century metrical inscriptions were often used.
Very interesting is the special category of seals of kommerkiarioi, fiscal officials of high rank, controllers of trade on the frontier, collecting tolls and obtaining the monopoly of silk trade. They had the right to display the image of the emperor on their seals, the induction for which each seal was valid, and name the warehouse of the province under their jurisdiction. Another special category is that of the anonymous seals, usually decorated with images of the Virgin and Saints, or bearing metrical inscriptions. The lead seals consist a solid and very important historical source for the study of Byzantine society and administration, the historical topography and iconography as well.
The contribution of lead seals to the study of Byzantine iconography is particularly important, because the owners of these tiny monuments depicted on them the holy persons of their preference, using as models the icons and frescoes adorning the churches of the Empire. Their choice depends upon a variety of criteria such as: the homonymous with the owner saint, the particular bonds of the depicted saint with the city mentioned on the seal (e. g. Saint Demetrios might point out Thessaloniki, as the patron saint of the city, Saint Andrew Patras, Saint Theodore the East Provinces of the Empire and so on) or the status of the holder (e. g. a military officer may choose a military saint to decorate his seal) as well as protectors saints that have been family tradition, as for example St George for the Komnenoi or St Mark for the Xeroi. Furthermore, for the reason that lead seals can be precisely dated, due to their typology and the evidence provided by their inscriptions, images in good condition offer the ability to gain direct knowledge of the byzantine icons ‘style.
correspondence remained basically unchanged during its historical course.
The Byzantines used mainly lead seals to secure their documents. These seals were produced by a very practical pliers-like instrument called boulloterion, with two cylindrical heads on which the dies were engraved. Blank lead disks were pressed between the heads to receive the imprint, creating a channel to close around the cord, which attached the seal to the document.
On the seal were engraved all the essential elements of the owner: the name, the title,the office, the place, so the object contained the presumption of the owner’s identity. Usually the officials tried to keep the same type of seal, to be easily acknowledged by the receiver of the document. Some lead seals are overstruck suggesting that the lead
itself was considered of some value. Silver and gold were also used to make seals but only on a very limited scale. These seals were exclusively used by the emperors and the despots, under special circumstances. The gold seal, with its red or purple silk cord, was reserved
for the emperor and documents sealed with it are called chrysobulls.
Leadseals are coming to light on all the territory of the ex Byzantine Empire, especially on the shores of Marmara Sea in Constantinople, where all the debris from construction works are collected. The richest collection of seals are those of the Dumbarton Oaks in Washigton D.C. (17.000 pieces) and the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg
(16.000 pieces). The Athens Numismatic Museum has got more than 2.500 pieces. Very important for the scientific research are the seals coming from excavations and generally those of known origin.
The typology of the seals is various and impressive. They bear inscriptions, monograms and images of the Virgin, Jesus Christ, Saints, crosses, holy scenes, animals and other depictions. During the period of the Iconoclasis the use of the invocative cruciform monogram was very popular. Since the 11th century metrical inscriptions were often used.
Very interesting is the special category of seals of kommerkiarioi, fiscal officials of high rank, controllers of trade on the frontier, collecting tolls and obtaining the monopoly of silk trade. They had the right to display the image of the emperor on their seals, the induction for which each seal was valid, and name the warehouse of the province under their jurisdiction. Another special category is that of the anonymous seals, usually decorated with images of the Virgin and Saints, or bearing metrical inscriptions. The lead seals consist a solid and very important historical source for the study of Byzantine society and administration, the historical topography and iconography as well.