Nomos 37

BYZANTINE SEALS. Georgios Palaeologos Ducas (?), Circa 1125 - 1167/8. Seal (Lead, 35 mm, 20.02 g, 12 h). Θ Α / Γ/Ε/ωΡ - Γ/Ι/Ο/Σ Saint George, nimbate, standing facing, wearing armour, holding spear with his right hand and resting his left on his shield at his side. Rev. Monogram, perhaps readable as "Georgios, Sebastos Palaiologos Komnenos". PBW -. Zacos -. Dark gray patina with a light layer of sandy deposits. Small crack and minor bruising along the edges, otherwise, good very fine.

From a German collection.

Possibly a seal of the high ranking diplomat and Megas Hetaireiarches Georgios Palaiologos Doukas Komnenos (ca. 1125 - 1167/8), see O. Lampsidis, Contribution to the biography of Georgios Palaeologos des Megas Hetäreiarches, Byzantion 40, 1970, pp. 393-407; J.-F. Vannier, Les premiers Paléologues. Étude généalogique et prosopographique, in: J.-Cl. Cheynet - J.-F. Vannier (ed.), Études Prosopographiques (1986), pp. 123-186. For seals of this individual that can be assigned with certainty, see W. Seibt and M.L. Zarnitz, The Byzantine lead seal as a work of art, in Exhibition Berlin (1997), pp. 55-56, no. 1.2.10.