Browse Items (972 total)

Gold coin. (whole)
Arabic inscription within a plain and a dotted circle. (reverse)
Arabic inscription; area divided into three by two horizontal lines. (obverse)

Uniface imitation of Byzantine gold coin. (whole)
Blank. (reverse)
Three-quarter face bust of Justinian I. (obverse)

Inscriptions

Obverse
Inscription language: Latin
Inscription content: D N ANASTASIVS P F AVG

Reverse
Inscription language: Latin
Inscription content: VICTORIA AVCCC monogram of Theodoric

Mintmark
Inscription position: reverse filed and…

Silver coin. (whole)
Illegible legend. Long cross voided with pellet within double circle in centre and three crescents at the end of each arm, crescents in two opposing angles. (reverse)
Few blundered letters adumbrating legend. Angel handing…

Description
Both sides of this terracotta ampulla (pilgrim flask) are decorated with the same scene in relief: Saint Menas in prayer, flanked by two kneeling camels within a circular border of dots or studs. The saint stands frontally, arms held…

Commentary
Flasks bearing images of Saint Menas are not uncommon in Egypt. Menas was a Roman soldier who was martyred; veneration of him as a saint centered on an oasis near Alexandria. On better-preserved ampullae bearing the same scene, the…

Ampullae like this one were used by pilgrims to bring home water or oil from the great pilgrimage site for Saint Menas, said to be a late-third-century Egyptian Roman soldier who was martyred for his Christian faith. He is shown between the two…

The designs on this jug are upside down, errors that likely resulted from mass production.

These vessels were made for Jews and Christians, possibly as tokens for pilgrims visiting the holy sites in Jerusalem or for use in burial rites. They…