New Byzantine Lead Seal from the Area of the Medieval Fortress of Rusokastro (South-Eastern Bulgaria)

Abstract

This paper analyses a Byzantine lead seal discovered in 2019 and now residing in the Regional Historical Museum in Burgas (Bulgaria). According to the legend, it belonged to a Byzantine official Michael by name, who held the position of (imperial) protonotarios and judge. This seal originates from the area of the medieval fortress of Rusokastro located in south-eastern Bulgaria. The obverse depicts facing bust of St. Archangel Michael, nimbate, wearing mail armour, which is encircled with the border of dots. The image is framed with a partially preserved continuous circle. Archangel Michael holds a spear in his right hand, with its top part partially worn off by mechanical damage. To the right of the spear is well legible letter M, and to the left of the image, at the worn off flattened area of the field, there is a relatively well-preserved letter X, i. e. abbreviations of the name of St. Archangel Michael. On the reverse is an inscription in four lines reading: “+ Lord help Michael, (imperial?) protonotarios and judge.” The seal dates from the tenth to the early eleventh century.