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Author Topic: Byzantine Seal 6th C? John kornikoularios or John and Karinos? 13.62mm 3.92g  (Read 534 times)

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Offline pogh_poor

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I acquired an interesting addition to my collection of Ioannes seals and have been working at solving the block monograms.  It measures approximately 13.62 mm and weighs 3.92g.  It appears to be 6th Century to me given the use of block monograms and its size. 

On the obverse, I believe it solves α - ι - ν - ο - υ - ω Ἰωάννου = Ioannes or John
On the reverse, I believe that it solves either α - ι - κ - λ - ν - ο - ρ - υ κορνικουλαρίου = kornikoularios  or α - ι - κ - ν - ο - ρ - υ Καρίνου = Karinos.  There is a star in the left field beside the monogram.

There are two seals with similar reverse block monograms in the Dumbarton Oaks collection
  BZS.1958.106.852 and BZS.1958.106.3036. 

As to the first, the curators solved it as (Seal of) John and Karinos.  They noted that it "may be a seal of the same owners. The relationship between the two names contained within the monograms is unclear; one could be a patronymic or this could be a seal used by two persons." 

As to the second, the curators solved it as (Seal of) John kornikoularios.  They opined that "The reading of the reverse monogram is uncertain. It quite possibly reads kornikoularios (cornicularius), a late Roman military title, or, as Zacos read it, it could read Καρίνου (Karinos). The latter is less likely because the obverse so clearly contains the name John."  Zacos-Veglery, no. 371.

 I  believe that I can see both a  :Greek_Lambda: and  :A3: so I lean toward the solution of (Seal of) John kornikoularios.  What do you think as to the offered solutions and its age?

Pogh_poor
All passes, Art alone Enduring stays to us; The Bust out-lasts the throne,-- The coin, Tiberius.

Offline Gert

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First of all, I don't see an N in that rev. monogram on the photo, but I assume it must be clear in hand. I had never heard of a cornicularius before, so I did some reading up on that. I seems to be a military title (signifiying the deputies of military commanders), attested for the Roman empire until the Notitia dignitatum (circa 2 centuries before your seal). I did a basic Google search, so it is of course entirely possible that the title still existed in some form by the 6th century, so I'd advise to research that further. If there's no parallel beyond the 4th century, I'd say it is not a very probable reading.

So for now, I'd prefer the patronym: either John, son of Karinos or Karinos, son of John - both monograms are genitives, so we can't know what the patronym is. There are many seals with patronyms (often with 'huios tou...' / Son of... explicitly stated) from early Byzantine times.
Regards
Gert

Offline Gert

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Possibly, the DO editors are hesitant to accept the patronym because there is no explicit of the word 'son' (VIOV) in the legend. Yet there are many instances of a simple genitive used for the patronym in inscriptions, but also on seals. Compare for example this 6th century seal from my personal collection that mentions a person named Aniketos (ANIKITOC in the nominative), and on the reverse gives the patronym (son) of Phirmios (ΦΙΡΜΙΝΟY in the genitive).
Regards
Gert

Offline pogh_poor

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Gert

Thank you for the valuable insight of this interesting seal.  I agree with you that the probable reading is either John, son of Karinos or Karinos, son of John.

Pogh_poor
All passes, Art alone Enduring stays to us; The Bust out-lasts the throne,-- The coin, Tiberius.

 

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