ASIA MINOR. Uncertain. 2nd-3rd centuries. Tessera (Lead, 16 mm, 4.66 g, 9 h). The sacrifice of Isaac: Abraham standing right, his head turned to left, holding dagger in his uplifted right hand and placing his left on Isaac; to the left, ram tied to a tree. Rev. The sacrifice of Isaac: Abraham standing right, his head turned to left, holding dagger in his uplifted right hand and placing his left on Isaac; to the left, ram tied to a tree. Unpublished in the standard references. A highly interesting early Christian tessera. Very fine.



The sacrifice of Isaac appears early in Christian iconography. In both the New Testament and the writings of the Church Fathers, the episode is linked to the sacrifice of Christ, and the owner of this seal likely chose this imagery for similar reasons. Early Christian depictions of the scene typically include the ram that is sacrificed in place of Isaac. This ram can also be interpreted as a foreshadowing of Christ, adding another layer of meaning to the scene.