Bronze disk: Holy Rider, garbled Greek tex (A) Standing figure with staff, garbled Greek text (B)
Circular bronze medallion; small perforation (suspension hole) at the top; minor damage at the bottom.
Side A: A sui generis design of the Holy Rider: the horse moves from right to left (instead of the usual direction from left to right, as in most depictions of this scene); the gait of the horse is a leisurely walk, rather than the typical gallop. The rider raises the spear in the front of him, rather than thrusting it backward to generate momentum, as is almost always the case in these designs. Below the horse, a snake, possibly the target of the rider. Around the edge, a garbled inscription in (mostly) Greek letters, starting with the incipit of Psalm 90/91: οκαττοικον{ιη} and further illegible text → ὁ κατοικῶν. ‘You who live [in the shelter of the Most High …]’.
Side B: In the centre, a standing figure with a spear or staff in his right hand and an oval object in his left hand (possibly a bundle, shied, or eye?). Under the feet of the figure, a snake (struck by the staff/spear?). In the central field, letters ογιο → ἅγιος(?). ‘Holy’. A garbled Greek inscription in two lines runs along the edge; as on the other side, the beginning of the inscription contains the incipit of Psalm 90/91: οκατοιιον and further illegible text → ὁ κατοικῶν. ‘You who live [in the shelter of the Most High …]’.
J. Franek, 2025
w/ Phoinix-team
Selected bibliography
• Franek 2025 >>, no. 287.
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