Byzantine Brass

KEYCHAIN WITH BYZANTINE COIN OF CHRIST THE PANTOCRATOR – 10th-11th CENTURIES – BYZANTINE EMPIRE Byzantine Empire. Constantinople. Era of Basil II and Constantine VIII, ca. 976-1028 A.D. Attractive collectible keychain made from an approximately thousand-year-old bronze Byzantine coin, belonging to the famous series of anonymous folles, class A, issues characterized by replacing the traditional representation of the emperor with the image of Jesus Christ. Obverse: frontal depiction of Christ Pantocrator, with beard, cruciform halo, and traditional vestments, holding the Book of the Gospels. The central composition of this emblematic religious iconography is preserved. Reverse: christological inscription in four lines, with Byzantine-era Greek characters: * IhSUS / XRISTUS / bASILEU / bASILE Its translation is “Jesus Christ, King of Kings,” one of the most representative proclamations of the religious and political ideology of the Byzantine Empire. Historical context This coin belongs to one of the most glorious periods of Byzantium, during the reign of Basil II, known as the Bulgar-Slayer, under whose rule the Empire achieved extraordinary political and military strength. The coins of this series are magnificent testimonies to the close relationship between imperial power and the Christian religion in medieval Constantinople. Display and conservation The coin is elegantly bezel-set in a circular ring of gold-toned metal, connected by a small articulated chain to a solid keyring loop of the same finish. It shows an attractive dark patina, with greenish tones typical of copper oxidation, and surface wear compatible with its age. A singular piece that combines medieval Byzantine numismatics with ornamental jewelry, preserving in a daily-use object the historical and religious testimony of an ancient civilization. Especially interesting for collectors of ancient coins, Byzantine art, religious objects, and historical antiquities.

Estimate:£167.51

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