Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine Creator Michael Satlow Brown University Maon 0001

Horvat Ma'on, Fifth - Seventh centuries CE. Ceramic vessel. Votive.

Pottery bread stamp, made of well-fired brownish clay with small and medium black-and-white grits

8.5

The width refers to the diameter of the disk shaped base, which is 1 cm thick. The stamp has a round knob handle, c. 2.5 cm high

Rounded characters with some cursive forms. The second mark after the cross is an interesting ligature that joins three letters, inverting the order of the first two: sigma, ypsilon and tau instead of ypsilon, sigma and tau

A cross with two rows of dots set between its arms On the handle top. The cross-and-dots design is a common device, possibly representing the sparkles of supernatural light surrounding the cross Incised decoration of letters and symbols. At its center is a large dot surrounded by six smaller dots. A narrow band skirting the edge of the disk encloses an inscription, which in turn runs around the central pattern Base of the stamp. The pattern of dots at the center of the base may reflect the early Jewish-Christian theology, which viewed Christ as the greatest of the seven archangels. The dots may represent Christ surrounded by the six companion-archangels believed to be prefigured in Isaiah's (11:1-2) prophecy about the son of David Fifth - Seventh centuries CE Negev Horvat Ma'on Area 2, Stratum IV

Taxonomies for IIP controlled values

Initial Entry Changed Ḥorbat to Horvat adding period attribute to date element, with Periodo value.

Εὐλογία Στεφάνου

The shape of the object indicates that it was a stamp specifically manufactured for marking bread buns. By pressing the stamp on an unbaked loaf, the pattern was impressed in relief on the soft dough and remained visible on the baked crust. The inscription indicates that the stamp was used for preparing buns that were handed out at a church as a memento of a visit to that church rather than used in the Eucharist rite.

Εὐλογία Στεφάνου

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