Uncertain sebastos, 11th-12th centuries. Seal (Lead, 30 mm, 27.38 g). Circular legend. Dog running to right, head turned back. Rev. +CEBACTOC TP... Lion advancing to right, head turned back. An intriguing piece with rare iconography. Scrape and the flan somewhat bent, otherwise, very fine.


Although the style and design of this interesting seal would suggest a 10th century date, the rank of sebastos starts to appear only at the end of the 11th century. The shape of the beta (as a closed B, rather than R, which is conventional in this period) is indicative that its origin must have been somewhere in the provinces of the Byzantine empire.