Anonymous, circa 350-400. Seal (Lead, 15 mm, 5.35 g). Christ seated left on high-backed seat, raising his right hand in a gesture of speech, addressing three apostles standing right. In field above, X. G. Boersema: A Dutch collection of late antique and early Christian lead seals, in: SBS 13 (2019), 13b (this seal). Boersema/Dalzell 225 (this seal). Spier, Late Antique and Early Christian Gems, S9. Very rare. Good fine.


The letter X in the upper field likely abbreviates the name of Christ. It also appears on another seal published by Boersema, while IHCOV ('Jesus') appears in the field of yet another (Boersema 13a and 13c). Moreover, a glass pendant with a similar scene has the legend EIHCOV - X, 'Jesus Ch(rist)', in the fields (Boersema p. 20, fig. B). The scene of Christ teaching the apostles appears in different designs on various items, notably seals and glass pendants.