Anonymous, circa 300-350. Seal (Lead, 17 mm, 4.41 g, 6 h). The sacrifice of Isaac: Abraham standing left, holding dagger in his uplifted right hand and placing his left hand on Isaac, kneeling before him; to right, ram attached to a tree. G. Boersema: A Dutch collection of late antique and early Christian lead seals, in: SBS 13 (2019), 11b (this seal). Spier, Late Antique and Early Christian Gems, S4, S5. Extremely rare and of great interest. Very fine.


The sacrifice of Isaac appears in Christian iconography from a very early date. Already in Scripture, the episode is connected to the resurrection of Christ. The Church Fathers viewed the episode as a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Christ, and this seal's owner likely chose this imagery for similar reasons. The depictions of this narrative scene in early Christian art usually include the ram that is eventually sacrificed in place of Isaac. The ram can also be interpreted as a foreshadowing of Christ, adding another layer of meaning to the scene.