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In the Middle Ages, letters were usually rolled in a scroll and tied with a cord. Lead seals like the present one originally held these cords together so that they could not be tempered with. The versified inscription here identifies the owner of the seal (and the author of the piece of correspondence to which it was attached) as one Michael Boilas, sebastos (an honorific title). The obverse carries an image of his namesake and heavenly protector, the Archangel Michael. Cf. Walters 55.95 and 55.96.

Page data

Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
9568cc0a268ad657
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
19482
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
{
    "id": "19482",
    "sourceUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/55.65",
    "contentType": "object",
    "stage": "normalized",
    "title": "Seal of the Sebastos Michael Boilas",
    "description": "In the Middle Ages, letters were usually rolled in a scroll and tied with a cord. Lead seals like the present one originally held these cords together so that they could not be tempered with. The versified inscription here identifies the owner of the seal (and the author of the piece of correspondence to which it was attached) as one Michael Boilas, sebastos (an honorific title). The obverse carries an image of his namesake and heavenly protector, the Archangel Michael. Cf. Walters 55.95 and 55.96.",
    "provenance": "Henry Walters, New York, [date of acquisition unknown] by purchase; Sadie Jones (Mrs. Henry Walters), New York, 1931, by inheritance; Joseph Brummer, New York, by purchase; Douglas Gordon, Baltimore, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1942, by gift.",
    "date": "11th century (Medieval)",
    "citationUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/55.65",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
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    "largeImageUrl": "https://art.thewalters.org/images/art/PL7_55.65_Fnt_BW_H42.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "pageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "1 7/16 in. (3.6 cm)"
}

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Document identity
{
    "localId": "19482",
    "label": "Seal of the Sebastos Michael Boilas",
    "core": "obj",
    "dtoType": "object",
    "citationUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/55.65"
}
Document source metadata
{
    "id": "19482",
    "sourceUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/55.65",
    "contentType": "object",
    "stage": "normalized",
    "title": "Seal of the Sebastos Michael Boilas",
    "description": "In the Middle Ages, letters were usually rolled in a scroll and tied with a cord. Lead seals like the present one originally held these cords together so that they could not be tempered with. The versified inscription here identifies the owner of the seal (and the author of the piece of correspondence to which it was attached) as one Michael Boilas, sebastos (an honorific title). The obverse carries an image of his namesake and heavenly protector, the Archangel Michael. Cf. Walters 55.95 and 55.96.",
    "provenance": "Henry Walters, New York, [date of acquisition unknown] by purchase; Sadie Jones (Mrs. Henry Walters), New York, 1931, by inheritance; Joseph Brummer, New York, by purchase; Douglas Gordon, Baltimore, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1942, by gift.",
    "date": "11th century (Medieval)",
    "citationUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/55.65",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
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    ],
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    "thumbnailUrl": "https://art.thewalters.org/images/art/PL7_55.65_Fnt_BW_H42.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://art.thewalters.org/images/art/PL7_55.65_Fnt_BW_H42.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "pageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "1 7/16 in. (3.6 cm)"
}
Document source extras
{
    "cul": "Byzantine",
    "RelatedObjects": [
        "35868",
        "34853"
    ],
    "med": "lead",
    "creator_ids": [
        "6640"
    ],
    "collection_ids": [
        "BYZ"
    ],
    "exhibition_ids": []
}
Page context
{
    "seq": 1,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://art.thewalters.org/images/raw/PL7_55.65_Fnt_BW_H42.jpg",
    "mediaId": "9568cc0a268ad657"
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