Ύστερη Ρωμαϊκή / Πρώιμη Βυζαντινή Σπάνιος Σταυρός Ιεροσολύμων — Σφραγιδική Μήτρα — Χριστιανικό Signaculum — Μενταγιόν Συλλέκτη (χωρίς τιμή ασφαλείας)

Wear a piece of history, not just jewelry

RARE Jerusalem Cross Seal Matrix — Christian Signaculum — Collector’s Pendant

Object Details

Culture: Late Roman / Early Byzantine Attribution
Period: Proposed Late Roman–Early Byzantine (ca. 4th–7th Century AD)
Material: Metal Alloy
Technique: Cast and Hand-Finished; Recessed Linear and Circular Decoration
Iconography: Central Cruciform Composition with Four Circular Recesses; Interpreted in Relation to Jerusalem Cross Imagery

Dimensions

Height: 44.91 mm ±
Width: 26.86 mm ±
Depth: 12.05 mm ±
Weight: 10.79 g

Description

This distinctive metal-alloy signaculum is characterised by a square sealing face bearing a central crux and four surrounding circular recesses. The engraved arrangement creates a balanced composition, while the moulded handle and integral suspension loop give the object a pronounced sculptural character.

Cross-bearing stamps occupy a documented place within Byzantine material culture. The Greek term sphragis (σφραγίς) places its proposed function within the tradition of sealing, while the stauros (σταυρός) supplies the composition’s Christian focus. Its central cross and four surrounding marks invite comparison with Jerusalem Cross imagery, as an iconographic association.

Against this background, the design evokes a quiet encounter between faith and material: a cross emerging beneath lamplight, its image carried from metal onto another surface. The engraved face, rounded handle and surviving surface character give this proposed Late Roman–Early Byzantine object a particularly evocative presence within Christian sealing traditions.

Report, Shipping & Photography

A Cultural and Iconographic Assessment Report is available upon request before dispatch. A printed copy will be prepared and included with the shipment. A signed ownership document issued in the buyer’s name can also be provided if requested before dispatch.

Every shipment is fully insured.

The photographs were taken under warm, museum-inspired lighting to present the object’s surface details and historical character naturally. The object was documented using high-resolution imaging equipment. Its physical structure and form have not been altered; only limited colour-balance adjustments have been applied for visual accuracy. Please consider the photographs together with the stated measurements when assessing its size.

Any cords, separate attachment rings or other display accessories visible in the photographs are not included. The integral suspension loop forms part of the object.

Information

The object is presented in good faith, with a commitment to transparency and scholarly consistency. No object is knowingly offered as a copy or imitation.

Dating, cultural attribution, material identification, original function and symbolic interpretation are academic assessments based on typological comparison and the available comparative evidence. Relevant museum examples and expert opinions are considered where available. These assessments are not definitive laboratory findings; more conclusive identification may require further examination and appropriate analysis beyond the scope of the sale.