ITEM: Stamp seal depicting two animals
MATERIAL: Bronze
CULTURE: Byzantine
PERIOD: 4th - 7th Century A.D
DIMENSIONS: 14 mm x 14 mm
CONDITION: Good condition
PROVENANCE: Ex Spanish private collection

Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export Licence. If you are from outside the European Union, we will have to apply for the export licence again for your country, this takes 4 to 6 weeks and has a cost of 5% of the amount of the sale, this amount will be added to the final invoice.

Byzantine stamps in bronze depicting a dove are intriguing artifacts that shed light on the administrative, religious, and artistic practices of the Byzantine Empire. These stamps, also known as seals or bullae, were used to authenticate documents, letters, or containers by impressing a design onto wax or clay. The image of the dove, a symbol of peace, purity, and the Holy Spirit in Christian iconography, held particular significance in Byzantine culture, reflecting the empire's deep-rooted Christian identity.

The depiction of a dove on Byzantine stamps often featured the bird with outstretched wings, holding an olive branch in its beak. This imagery evoked biblical associations with the story of Noah's Ark, where a dove carrying an olive branch symbolized the end of the flood and God's covenant with humanity. In the Byzantine context, the dove motif likely served not only as a symbol of peace and divine protection but also as a visual representation of the Christian faith and the empire's spiritual authority.

Byzantine stamps featuring a dove design were used by various officials, ecclesiastics, and individuals across the empire to validate documents and correspondence. The use of such stamps helped ensure the authenticity and authority of official communications, legal decrees, and religious correspondence within the Byzantine administrative and ecclesiastical systems.

Good condition

1.4 x 1.4 cm