Nikolaos Mastrochristos, Independent Researcher

The publication of the lead seals found in Rhodes started a few years ago (2021), with an article of mine published in the Deltion of the Christian Archaeological Society of Athens. Nine specimens of known provenance, found in excavations, were studied there. In this presentation a group of eight, so far, new, all unpublished lead seals are examined from Rhodes, Greece. Some of them were found in   excavations after the first publication, such as one with an eagle on the obverse found at the harbor of Rhodes and another one with saint George found in Phileremos; others were handed to the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Dodecanese, such as a very interesting and intriguing specimen with Saint Elias on the obverse found in Archangelos, or one with a metrical inscription of the sebastos Georgios Chamakon found at the area of Charaki. In addition, others are stray finds with provenance from Rhodes, confiscated by the authorities as products of illegal possession, such as one of a basilikos kandidatos and archon of Rhodes, or one of Alexios Kassianos, sebastos. Their study is still an ongoing project. By placing the seals in a wider context and co-examining them with the other finds from the excavations and parallels, the publication of the seals offers new historical data concerning the ecclesiastical and administrative history of the island and its position in the Byzantine Empire.