Anonymous, 4th century. Seal (Lead, 18 mm, 6.06 g). Daniel in the lion’s den: Daniel standing left, his arms raised in prayer, lion on either side. B. Asamer and H. Winter: Antike Bleiplomben mit christlichen Motiven in österreichischen Sammlungen, in: NZ 106/107 (1999), 4. G. Boersema: A Dutch collection of late antique and early Christian lead seals, in: SBS 13 (2019), 6. Leukel N257. Turcan 61. Very fine.


Many scenes from the narrative cycle of Daniel appear in early Christian art, but by far the most beloved episode was that of Daniel in the lion’s den. The story appears in Scripture in the Book of Daniel, Chapter 6. It features on different media and is attested for several different seal matrices in a range of styles. Because of their visual similarity and the shared symbolism of personal salvation, the scene was frequently combined with that of the Good Shepherd.