An interesting seal showing on the
obv. (your 2nd photo) an invocative
monogram for 'Theotoke boethei' - "god-bearer (=the Virgin)
help". The
rev. shows a
legend naming the seal's owner Oulid and
his dignity of hypatos,
consul. A seal with the same
monogram and
legend is published by
Zacos & Veglery, no. 1566. but their ex. is in a crude,
provincial style. Their no. 1567 of Oulith, hypatos belongs probably to the same individual, but spells the name with theta, not delta. Zacos/Veglery date 650-750.
Now, what makes this seal more interesting than the typical
Byzantine seal is that the name is Arabic, Walid, who must have converted to serve the
Byzantine emperor. A small number of Arabic names can be found on early
Byzantine seals.
Regards
Gert