★ Extremely RARE Seal !!! ★

An interesting late byzantine lead seal of Nicholaos, bishop of Aigon (Aigeon), in Cilicia, Asia Minor (ca 13th cent.)
Obverse: Bust of Mother of God facing, nimbate, wearing chiton and maphorion, her right hand in blessing gesture, sigla, ΜΡ-Θ[ΟΥ] = Μήτηρ Θεοῦ (Mother of God), all within double dotted border.

Reverse: Inscription in 5 lines between crosses, +Θ(ΕΟΤΟ)ΚΕΒΟ/ΗΘΕΙΝΙΚΟ/ΛΑΟΥΕΠΙ/CΚΟΠΟΥΑΙ/ΓΩΝ+ = Θεοτόκε, βοήθει Νικολάου ἐπισκόπου Αἰγῶν (Mother of God, help Nicholaos, bishop of Aigon), all within double dotted border.
Aegae or Aigai (Ancient Greek: Αἰγαί), or Aegaeae or Aigaiai (Αἰγαῖαι), the see of the bishop Nicholaos, owner of this nice seal, was a town on the coast of ancient Cilicia, on the north side of the Bay of Issus. It is now separated from the outlet of the Pyramus (the modern Ceyhan) by a long narrow estuary called Gulf of Alexandretta. In Strabo's time it was a small city with a port. Aegae was a Greek town, but the origin of it is unknown. It was Christianised at an early date, and today no longer retaining a residential bishop. Its site is located near the modern Yumurtalık.

Condition: Very Fine

Weight: 14.80 gr
Diameter: 28 mm