Obolos 19

Maria, daughter of Kakikios Karsiotes (Gagik of Kars), ruler of Tzamandos, 1065-1069. Seal or Bulla (Lead, 32 mm, 23.68 g, 12 h). MHP-ΘY Facing bust of the Virgin Mary, orans, wearing chiton and maphorion, holding medallion with a facing bust of the infant Christ. Rev. + ΘΚΕ ΒΘ / MAPIA TH / ΘYΓATPI TOY/ KOYPOΠΛATOY / KAKIKIOY TOY/ KAPCIΩT, TH/ EK ΦYΛHC/ TOY ΔΑΥΙΔ in eight lines. Unpublished and of extreme importance. Comparable to Spink 132, 1999, lot 120 - a later bilingual seal of Maria from the Zacos Collection, dated between 1069-1071. A historically fascinating piece! Rough area on the obverse, otherwise, very fine.

In 1065 Kakikios (= Gagik) Karsiotes (= 'the Karsian'), who was the Armenian king of Kars, ceded his realm to the Byzantines; very probably at the same time, and in return for his cessation, Constantine X Doukas gave him the title of Kouropalates. After Kakikios's death, in 1068/9, his daughter Maria (Marem in Armenian), who had close relations with the Empress Eudokia Makrembolitissa, retained part of her fathers possessions and was the defacto ruler of Tzamandos until at least 1071. However, in contrast to the present piece, the seal in the Zacos Collection bears the title "Kouropalatissa", which Maria received after the death of her father, thus it is most likely that our seal should be dated between 1065 and 1069 when Kakikios Karsiotes held the title "Kouropalatis". The last two sentences of our seal are quite interesting. It is a testimony that Maria was related by blood (possibly grand-daughter) of the Armenian prince David, son of the last king of Vaspurakan, Senekerim Yovanēs (Σεναχηρείμ in Greek). Additionally, the Virgin Mary, who appears on the obverse, is a direct reference to Maria, since they were both descended from Davids - in the Virgin's case, the Biblical Jewish King.