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Byzantine Lead Seals


During the Byzantine period, lead bullae (singular, Bulla) were widely used to seal and identify the sender of correspondence and containers in shipment. An iron, pliers-shaped instrument, a boulloterion, was used to impress the designs on a lead bulla seal. After the cord was wrapped around the package or document and the ends inserted in a channel in the blank seal, the seal was placed between the disc shaped engraved dies on the jaws of a boulloterion. The boulloterion had a projection above the jaws, which was struck with a hammer to impress the design on the seal and close the channel around the two ends of the cord. With a bulla in place a container cannot be violated without visible damage to either the bulla or the cord, ensuring the contents remain tamper-proof until they reach their destination.

Gold and silver were also used but very rarely. Gold was used only by the emperor and only for very important documents called chrysobulls (golden bulls). Silver bulla are even rarer. Used only by the despots of Epiros and the Peloponnese.

References

Chynet, J., C. C. Morrison & W. Seibt. Sceaux Byzantins de la collection Henri Seyrig. (Paris, 1991).
Cotsonis, J. "Narrative Scenes on Byzantine Lead Seals (Sixth—Twelfth Centuries): Frequency, Iconography, and Clientele" in Gesta, vol. 48, No. 1 (2009), pp. 55 - 86. Available Online
Dunn, A. A handlist of the Byzantine Lead Seals and Tokens in the Barber institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham. (Birmingham, UK, 1983).
Feind, R. Byzantinische Monogramme und Eigennamen - Byzantine monograms and personal names. (2010). PDF Available
Jordanov, I. Corpus of Byzantine Seals from Bulgaria. (Sofia, 2003).
Jordanov, I & Z. Zhekova. Catalogue of Medieval Seals at the Regional Historical Museum of Shumen. (Sofia, 2007).
Laurent, V. Documents de sigillographie byzantine: Le Collection C. Orghidan. (Paris, 1952).
Laurent, V. Les sceax byzantins du Medaillier Vatican. (Vatican City, 1962).
Metcalf, D.M. Byzantine Lead Seals from Cyprus. (Nicosia, 2004).
Morrisson, C. "Monnaies en plomb byzantines de la fin du VIe et du début du VIIe siècle" in RIN LXXXIII (1981). Available Online
Nesbitt, J. et al., eds. Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and the Fogg Museum of Art. (Washington, DC. 1991-2005). PDF Available
Oikonomides, N. A Collection of Dated Byzantine Lead Seals. (Washington, DC, 1986).
Oikonomides, N. Byzantine Lead Seals. (Washington, DC. 1985).
Seibt, W. "The Use of Monograms on Byzantine Seals in the Early Middle-Ages (6th to 9th Centuries)" in Parekbolai, vol. 6 (2016).
Seibt, W. & M. Zarnitz. Das byzantinische Bleisiegel als Kunstwerk. (Vienna, 1997).
Sode, C. Byzantinische Bleisiegel in Berlin, Vol 2. (Bonn, 1997).
Speck, P. Byzantinische Bleisiegel in Berlin (West). (Bonn, 1986).
Spink. Byzantine Seals from the Collection of George Zacos, Part I. Auction 127 (7 October 1998). London.
Spink. Byzantine Seals from the Collection of George Zacos, Part II. Auction 132 (25 May 1999). London.
Spink. Byzantine Seals from the Collection of George Zacos, Part III. Auction 135 (6 October 1999). London.
Stavrakos, C. Die byzantinischen Bleisiegel mit Familiennamen aus der Sammlung des Numismatischen Museums Athen. (Wiesbaden, 2000).
Szemioth, A. & T. Wasilewski. "Sceaux byzantins du Musée National de Varsovie." in Studia Zrodionznawez Commentationes, 11 (1966), pp. 1-38, and 14 (1969), pp. 63-89.
Wassiliou, A. & W. Seibt. Die byzantinischen Bleisiegel in Österreich, Vol. 2: Zentral und Provinzialverwaltung. (Vienna, 2004).
Youroukova P. & V. Penchev. Bulgarian Medieval Coins and Seals. (Sofia, 1990).
Zacos, G. & A. Veglery. Byzantine Lead Seals. (Berne, 1972-84).

Dating Byzantine Lead Seals

Lead was first used for seals by the Romans in the 1st century A.D. Before that time seals were traditionally wax or clay. The first lead seals were one sided pressed into heated lead with rings or with iron stamps. The bulloterion was in use by the early 4th century allowing two sided stamps on cold lead. Lead bulla became increasing popular during the fifth and six centuries and were widely used across the empire by the seventh century.

4th century - 726 A.D. Early Byzantine Bulla Seals
- Inscriptions only most common.
- The virgin standing facing or bust facing, Christ child on left arm or on medallion before her. Often flanked by a pare of crosses, stars, trees, inscriptions, or monograms. Common on imperial seals.
- "Block monograms" letters arranged around a central square (the type of monogram found on AE4s), 4th - 6th century. 
- Saints - Irene, Anastasia, Michael, John Chrysostom, Titos (patron of Crete), John the Baptist, Peter and Paul (in profile), and Theodore (killing a snake).
- Non-imperial seals inscribed in Latin on one side or both (some imperial continued to use Latin until the 11th century).
- Simple square letters.

726 - 787 A.D. First Phase of Iconoclasm
- Cruciform invocational monograms, and crosses. (Previously used, but rarely.)
- Imperial portraits.
- Letters tend to be elongated with serifs.

787 - 815 A.D. Brief Iconophile Interlude
- The Virgin stand facing with Christ child on her left arm flanked by a pair of cruciform invocative monograms.
- Saints, rare.
- Imperial portraits.
- Letters tend to be elongated with serifs.

815 - 843 A.D. Second Phase of Iconoclasm
- Cruciform invocational monograms, crosses prevail.
- Imperial portraits.
- Letters tend to be elongated with serifs.

843 - 867 A.D. Early Post Iconoclastic Period
- Portraits of Christ prior to the post iconoclastic period are rare because it was argued that a representation of Christ could never totally encompass His divine nature. Christ Pantocrator first appears on a seal in 847.
- Letters tend to be elongated with serifs.

867 - 1080 A.D. Macedonian Dynasty
- Religious iconography flourished but also cruciform invocative monograms and bilateral inscriptions with crosses continued. Cruciform monograms common until the 10th century.
- Cross on steps, usually three common during this period.
- The Virgin is most popular figure. Orans, turned towards the hand of god, facing portrait, or enthroned facing.
- Christ primarily on imperial portraits, Pantocrator, youthful Emmanuel, enthroned facing.
- Saints, bust and standing, common, on horseback, rare. Nicholas most popular followed by Michael, Demetrios, George and Theodore.
- Multi-figure scenic compositions.
- Animals, real and imaginary.
- Non-figural secular iconography rosettes, foliage, pentagram.
- Beginning in the 10th century, more realistic imperial portraits including profile portraits (apparently inspired by ancient coins or gems).
- Anonymous seals, 10th to 12th century, inscriptions only, do not identify the user and text suggesting to examine the document text to see who sent it. Perhaps used by public scribes paid to write letters for illiterate people.
- Letters tend to be elongated with serifs in the 9th century, particularly gracious in the in the 10th, and stouter in the 11th.
- Inscriptions often begin with KE ROHΘH (Lord, help).

1081 - 1200 A.D. Komnen Dynasty
- Imperial portraits return to abstract.
- Anonymous seals, 10th to 12th century, inscriptions only, do not identify the user and text suggesting to examine the document text to see who sent it. Perhaps used by public scribes paid to write letters for illiterate people.
- Eastern languages (Armenian and Arabic) languages first appear on seals beginning early in the 11th century.
- letters stouter in the 11th century, become more elongated in the 12th, and the quality of engraving decreased and ligatures increased in succeeding centuries.
- Cruciform monograms less common.
- Long metrical invocation inscriptions, 13th - 14th century.
- The last attested use of the title protospatharios was in 1115.
- Family names paramount reflecting increased importance of aristocracy and blood ties.

1200 - 1450 A.D. Late Byzantine
- Monograms in loops, lozenges or with rays increasingly common after the 13th century.
- Long metrical invocation inscriptions, 13th - 14th century.
- 15th century rare, reflecting the small size of the "empire" and its end mid-century.
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