CC BY
0УДК 7.033.2(497)
ББК 85.125
DOI 10.18688/aa2313-10-64
A. Ph. Trifonova
An Unknown Belt Buckle (1732) of Hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina from a Private Collection in Greece
The article presents an important unknown belt buckle with dimensions 22,5x9,5 cm and weight 164 grams, which is preserved in a private collection in Attica, Greece. The belt buckle is made of silver and copper alloy and is gilded for the most part. It consists of three pieces: a main central oval-shaped part and two side parts with wave-shaped edges, linked with the main part by a hook (Fig. 1).
The central part of the belt buckle presents the image of the New Testament Holy Trinity. The Son, who bears nimbus with the inscription О ON (He Who is) and holds a cross in his left hand, is depicted on the left part. The Father, who bears a nimbus with the inscription О ON (He Who is), and holds a sphere in his right hand, is depicted on the right. Above them comes down the Holy Spirit in the image of a dove with a nimbus and open wings. The scene is surrounded by angelic powers of the first order: on either side, there are two cherubim with a pair of wings, whereas the Father and the Son are standing on three thrones (Gpovot), depicted as wheels (tpoxoi), of which only the central one is winged (Fig. 1).
The two side parts of the belt buckle present the scene of the Annunciation, surrounded by two full length prophets. On the left side, the archangel Gabriel is moving towards the Virgin on the right side. Behind the archangel, there is a figure of the Prophet David, signed as О ПРОФ(Н)Т(НС) A(A)B(H)A (The Prophet David), who is holding an open scroll with the prophecy: A/KOY/CO/N 0/1Г/АТ/ЕР1 (Hear, daughter) (Fig. 2). On the right side, the Virgin, signed as M(HTH)P &(E)OY (Mother of God), is standing in front of a throne with open arms, facing the archangel. Behind the Virgin, there is a depiction of the Prophet Solomon, signed by the inscription: О ПР(ОФН)Т(НС) C(O^(O)M(ON) (Prophet Solomon), who is holding an open scroll with the prophecy: М/IN/ IN/CH/ME/PIS / ЕР(Г)А2 (Do not grumble about others' accomplishments) (Fig. 3).
On the top side of the belt buckle, there is an engraved dedicatory inscription in Greek that spans the both sides of the buckle: AIA CHNAPOMHC• EMOY • ICA/IOYIEPOMONAXOY ■
1 The correct inscription on the scroll of Prophet David would be AKOYCON QYrATEP [37, p. 82].
2 The correct spelling of this inscription is: MHN MEMWIMOIPEIC EPrA. However, this inscription on the scroll is not seen anywhere else, as far as we know. Moreover, it is not common for the Prophet's Solomon scroll in the scene of the Annunciation, who usually holds a scroll with the following text: "noXXai dvyarepeq ¿Kt^oavro nXovrov • noXXai ¿no'noav Svvapiv, ov Se vnepheioai Kai vnep^paq naoaq" (Many daughters have obtained wealth, many have wrought valiantly, but you have exceeded and surpassed all)[37, p. 82], whereas in other scenes the Prophet Solomon holds a scroll with other inscription: "H oofia tiKoSoprjoev ohov, Kai" (The wisdom built a building, and) [37, p. 77].
Fig. 1. Belt buckle of hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina. © Alexandra Trifonova
Fig. 2. The archangel Gabriel of the Annunciation with the Prophet David (detail of the left part). Belt buckle of hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina. 1732. Private collection, Attica, Greece. © Alexandra Trifonova
1732. Private collection, Attica, Greece.
Fig. 3. The Virgin of the Annunciation with the Prophet Solomon (detail of the right part). Belt buckle of hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina. 1732. Private collection, Attica, Greece. © Alexandra Trifonova
TOY / EE IOANHNON1732 EKATAC/KIAC&I EIC MEAENHKON3 (with the contribution of me, hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina, 1732, made in Melenikon) (Figs. 4, 5). On the back side of the belt buckle, there are four long support panes, two on each side (Fig. 7). The pane on the right side, which is fastened by the hook, is the only one gilded and bears another inscription on two rows, engraved in a decorative frame: AOYAOC TOY &EOY/ ANMITPIOC4 (Servant of God Dimitrios) (Fig. 6).
3 The correct orthography of the inscription should be: AIA CYNAPGMHC EMOY HCAIGY IEPOMONAXOY TOY EE IOANNHNON1732 EKATACKEYAC&EI EIC MEAENIKON.
4 The correct inscription should be: O AOYAOC TOY &EOY AHMHTPIOC.
From the dedicatory inscription, we learn that the belt buckle was made at the expense of hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina, as well as that it was made in the town of Melenikon in 1732.
The sponsor of the belt buckle, hieromonk Isaiah (second quarter of the 18th century)5, was from Ioannina, a town in the region of Epirus, nowadays in the north-west part of Greece. He was a hieromonk and painter6 and most probably a member of the monastic brotherhood of the stau-ropegial Rozhen monastery (povr¡ Po^ivov) near Melenikon (Melnik). He decorated with frescoes the monastery's Trapeza (1728), as he mentions that fact on the dedicatory inscription7, and also devoted a poetic text to Dionysios of Ioannina' who most likely was the metropolitan of Melenikon Dionysios II (1677-1683, 1685-1689) [43, p. 11]8. The poetic text was written 39 years after his ac-tivity as metropolitan, and it is unknown if he was still alive then. It is likely that Dionysios II was mentioned in the inscription because he was the one who initiated the restoration of the Trapeza, which was finished during the time of hieromonk Isaiah [43, p. 12]. However, it is known that Dionysios, as well as Isaiah, originate from Ioannina, a town in the Epirus region, which stands approximately 400 km from Melenikon (Melnik). It can be deduced that when Dionysios became the metropolitan of Melenikon (Melnik), he invited with him some persons from the ecclesiasti-cal circle of his native Ioannina9 and probably most of them became part of the brotherhood of Rozhen monastery, like hieromonk Isaiah, the owner of the belt buckle [53, p. 106].
Moreover, from the dedicatory inscription, we learn that the belt buckle was made in 1732 in Melenikon (Melnik), a small Byzantine town in the region of Macedonia, nowadays in Southwestern Bulgaria. Since the 13th century, Melenikon (Melnik) was a seat of the Metropolis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople known for its Byzantine and post-Byzantine monuments10 and mainly for the nearby Rozhen monastery11. At the time of the commission of
For the general information about the hieromonk Isaiah of Ioannina, see: [53, pp. 73-108].
6 Regarding the painter hieromonk Isaiah of Ioannina, it remains still unknown what else did he paint, as we do not have any other information. Moreover, his name was not included in the book about the Greek painters in Bulgaria after the Fall of Constantinople [31].
7 This inscription is written on the scroll of St Nicholas and reads as following: TO MEriCTON ENN(O) OYMEN / EAAXICTON ÜN OYKICMEN. / TOY nOTE MAKAPIOY nNEYMA/TIKOY AIONYCIOY OnOY HTON / EE IÜANNINÜN KAI ANAnAY&H / EIC TO MEAENIKON. KAI ANErPAQH / TO P(HTON) nAP' EMOY HCA/IOYIEPOMONAXOYKAI EAAXICTOY/ AOYAOY TOY KAI EN nN(EYMAT)I Ann EIAIKOC CACEYXETHC/1728 [20, pp. 47-48, fig. 3-4; 43, p. 11; 15, p. 162; 53, p. 87]. The paintings were commissioned during the time of the hegumenos Anastasios, who was also sakellarios (oaKeXXápioO of the Metropolis of Melenikon. The ,sakellarios' is a title, which is given to priests and deacons in order to have some control functions on the monasteries in a Metropolis, as well as the right to judge monks who had sinned, see: [3, p. 1562].
The metropolitan of Melenikon Dionysios II, whose first tenure in Melenikon lasted six years, resigned voluntarily in 1683 and moved to Mount Athos, where he bought a kellion of the Iviron monastery. Two years later, in 1685, with the help of the Ecumenical patriarch Parthenios IV Mogilalos (1657-1662, 1665-1667, 1671, 1675-1676, 1684-1685), he was elected again metropolitan of Melenikon for four years. After this second tenure he resigned again and settled in Adrianople (Adrianoupolis), but later returned to Melenikon (Melnik) where he stayed until his death. For the general information about Metropolitan Dionysios II, see: [43, pp. 11-12; 54, pp. 216-218; 53, pp. 87, 96].
For the general information about the presence of people from Ioannina in Melenikon (Melnik) during the 18th and the 19th century, see: [43, pp. 9-23].
10 For the general information about the monuments of Melenikon (Melnik) see: [27, pp. 292-300; 36, pp. 11-21; 32, pp. 439-460; 28, pp. 205-212; 21, pp. 482-485, 490-503; 34].
11 In 1727, the painters Theoharis and Nikolaos made a fresco in the narthex of the monastery's katho-likon, whereas in 1728, the hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina painted the Trapeza [53, p. 102]. In 1732, the murals of the katholikon were executed with the financial help of the skeuophylax (OKevofvXaxa<;) and archon (dpxovta^) Doukas; the wood-carved iconostasis of the katholikon was commissioned by the hegumenos
Fig. 4. The dedicatory inscription (detail of the left part). Belt buckle of hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina. 1732. Private collection, Attica, Greece. © Alexandra Trifonova
Fig. 5. The dedicatory inscription (detail of the right part). Belt buckle of hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina. 1732. Private collection, Attica, Greece. © Alexandra Trifonova
Fig. 6. The inscription of the back side of the belt buckle of hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina (detail). 1732. Private collection, Attica, Greece. © Alexandra Trifonova
the belt buckle, Melenikon (Melnik) was under the episcopate of the metropolitan Anthimos I (1716-1737)12 and had strong connections with Mount Athos because of the Vatopedi13 and Iviron14 metochia in the town. Moreover, the town had a multiethnic population and a flourishing Greek community, which undoubtfully contributed for its artistic and spiritual prosperity15.
hieromonk Anastasios, who was also sa-kellarios (аакеХХарю<;) of the Metropolis of Melenikon (Melnik)[53, p. 97]. The murals of the parekklesion of Sts Cosmas and Damian were painted with the financial aid of nun Melania [53, p. 98], as well as one manuscript of Nomocanon was written in 1732 by the hieromonk Iakovos of Ioannina, nowadays in the National Library of Greece in Athens [53, p. 106].
12 For the general information about the metropolitan Anthimos I, who was from the island of Mytilene, see: [56, p. 89; 21, p. 456; 4, p. 61; 53, p. 96].
13 For the general information about the Vatopedi metochion in Melenikon (Melnik), see: [38, p. 88; 40, pp. 42-53].
14 For the general information about the Rozhen monastery, which was a metochion of the Iviron monastery, see: [42, pp. 35-37; 49, pp. 94-96; 36, pp. 11-21; 56, pp. 78-80; 17; 46, pp. 39-48; 15; 4, pp. 119124; 21, pp. 494-499; 54, pp. 172-178; 13, pp. 148-176].
15 During this period in Melenikon (Melnik) the wooden-carved iconostasis (1727) of the Virgin Spylaiotissa monastery was made [33, p. 30], whereas in 1731 the frescoes in its katholikon were executed with the financial aid of the brothers Mavroudis and Manolis along with their mother Kom-neani [53, p. 100]. There were also painters from the workshop of Dionysios from Four-na, who executed the icon of the enthroned St. Nicolas (first half of the 18th century) in the Metropolitan church of St. Nicholas, along with an icon of full length St. John the Baptist (first half of the 18th century), nowadays in the Crypt of St. Alexander Nevsky's cathedral in Sofia [52, pp. 36-40]. An icon of
From the other inscription on the back of the belt buckle, we learn the name of the servant of God Demetrios. Unfortunately, the text does not provide other clarifying information about this person, but most likely Demetrios16 could be the craftsman or someone who after the death of Hieromonk Isaiah owned the belt buckle.
The craftsman who engraved the inscriptions made a lot of orthographical and grammatical mistakes17 and inserted Slavic letters in Greek inscriptions18. Moreover, he inserted incomprehensible texts with Greek letters19. This leads us to think that probably he was a local person from Melenikon (Melnik), but maybe not of Greek origin, or if he was Greek, he did not know how to write correctly and probably copied some texts which he received from another person. No matter which of the two theories is right, it is important that this work is a masterpiece of the post-Byzantine minor art. A belt buckle20 is a metal decorative clothing accesso-
the Virgin Rodon Amarandon (PóSov A^ápavrov) (first half of the 18th century) comes from the same church, nowadays in the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia [51, pp. 341-345; 13, p. 533, fig. II. 54].
16 At this moment we do not have any other information concerning the artistic activity of this goldsmith from Melenikon (Melnik). There are two known goldsmiths with the common name Dimitrios from this period of the nearby region. The first one (first quarter of the 18th c.) made objects of minor arts for Athos monasteries: two crosses (in 1713 and 1724) for the Lavra monastery, one cross (early 18th c.) for the Simonopetra monastery and one cross (18th c.) for the Docheiariou monastery. The second Dimitrios also made a cross (18th c.) for the Docheiariou monastery, but this could be one and the same person [24, p. 133].
17 In the dedicatory inscription the name of the donor is written as ICAIOY instead of the correct HCAIOY; the verb is written as EKATACKIAC&I instead of the correct EKATAZKEYAC&EI, the name of the town is written as MEAENHKON instead of the
correct MEAENIKON. The second inscription reads AOYAOC TOY &EOY ANMITPIOC instead of the correct O AOYAOC TOY &EOY AHMHTPIOC.
18 See the inscription on the back of the belt buckle where the name of the servant of God is written ANMITPIOC instead of the correct AHMHTPIOC.
19 See the inscription on the scroll of Prophet Solomon of the Annunciation.
20 For the general information about the belt buckles known as pafta (na$ma), ^apraz (nanpas), ke-meri (Ke^épi), fibula (ylpnovXa), porpi (ndpHq) or kleidotira (KXeiSur^pia), see: [35, p. 26; 16, pp. 199-218; 1, pp. 25-37; 7, pp. 68-72; 47, pp. 89-103; 43, pp. 459-470; 8; 55; 25, pp. 86-104; 12, pp. 194-211; 19, pp. 227-237; 39, pp. 155-163; 10, pp. 133-148; 23, pp. 15-34]. It is interesting to note that during the last ten years in Bulgaria there were several exhibitions, dedicated to the belt buckles, among which: 1. "Paftite - nakiti na ljubovta" (The belt buckles - jewelry of love) from the collection of Ognyan Boev in the Regional Museum of Pazardzik (2012), see: https://museum-pz.com/wp/izlojba-paftite-nakiti-na-liubovta/ (accessed 03 October 2022); 2. "Zlatarstvoto po balgarskite zemi 16th -20th c." (Goldsmiths' craft across the Bulgarian lands, 16th - 20th c." from the collection of Antonio Vassilev in the National History Museum of Sofia (2018), see: https:// bnr.bg/horizont/post/100938634/nim-pokazva-nai-golamata-izlojba-dosega-na-pafti-i-nakiti-ot-vazrajdan-eto-na-5-mart (accessed 03 October 2022); 3. "Paftite - vselena ot znaci" (The belt buckles - a world of signs)
Fig. 7. The back side of the belt buckle of hieromonk Isaiah from loannina. 1732. Private collection, Attica, Greece. © Alexandra Trifonova
ry known since the Middle Ages21, that is attached to a belt and used to keep it securely closed. Remarkable symbols of rank and status, made generally of metal or by insertion of mother of pearl, belt buckles are divided into two categories: civic and hieratic (ecclesiastical).
Civic belt buckles were intended originally as accessory to men's clothing, but later on they became mostly women's clothing accessory in the Balkans, as they were worn mainly by married women as a sign of marital status22. Women received them as a wedding gift, because it was believed that they had an apotropaic power of protection from an 'evil eye'. Furthermore, they wore them during the pregnancy, as it was believed that belt buckles protect the baby in their womb. The civic belt buckles sometimes were decorated with Gospel scenes and images of saints; others decorated with different floral motifs and images of birds (doves, eagles) could be fashioned not only by the Christians, but also by the Muslims23.
The hieratic belt buckles were worn by the hierarchs [25, p. 91] and were attached to a special cotton or satin girdle, decorated with silk embroideries24. Habitually, these belt buckles were decorated with different evangelical scenes (the Annunciation, the Nativity of Christ, the Dormition of the Virgin, the Last Supper), holy persons (Prophets, the Virgin Hodegetria, the Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ), saints (Sts. George and Demetrios on horseback, Sts. Constan-tine and Helen), places of Christian worship (Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem), or the symbol of Byzantium (the double headed eagle). It is interesting to note that during the 18th century these themes habitually appear on metal belt buckles, like the unpublished belt buckle with the enthroned Christ as Great Archbishop and the enthroned Virgin Hodegetria (1741) in the National History Museum in Sofia, Bulgaria; the belt buckle with the Heavenly Jerusalem (1766) in the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens, Greece [22, pp. 302-303, fig. 292]; the unpublished belt buckle with the Crucifixion and the Resurrection (18th c.) in the National History Museum in Sofia, Bulgaria; the unpublished belt buckle with the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem (end of the 18th c.) in the National Ethnographic Museum in Sofia, Bulgaria. However, during the 19th century these themes (evangelical scenes, holy persons, saints, places of Christian worship or the symbol of Byzantium) appear mainly on belt buckles with the mother of pearl25, which became widespread in the Balkans.
in the Regional History Museum of Rousse (2018), see: https://bntnews.bg/bg/a/paftite-vselena-ot-znat-si-izlozhba-v-istoricheskiya-muzey-v-ruse (accessed 03 October 2022); 4. "Pafti ot fond ana Regionalen is-toricheski muzei Pazardzik" (Belt buckles from the fond of the Regional Historical Museum of Pazardzik) in the House - Museum "Konstantin Velichkov" of the Regional Historical Museum of Pazardzik (2022), see: https://museum-pz.com/wp/pafti/ (accessed 03 October 2022).
21 For example, the two belt buckles (13th c.) in the National Museum of Belgrade, Serbia [30, p. 183].
22 See, for instance, https://bnr.bg/post/101157456 (accessed 26 May 2022).
23 Belt buckles fashioned by Muslims depicted only themes from the nature (leaves, flowers, grapes), because the Christian scenes and the animals were prohibited by the Quran.
24 For example, the girdle with the belt buckle of hieromonk Gedeon (1741) in the National History Museum in Sofia, Bulgaria (private note), the belt buckle of hierarch Ambrosius (1766) in the Byzantine and Christian Museum of Athens in Greece, see: D. Konstandios [22, pp. 302-303, fig. 292].
25 For example, see the belt buckle with the Virgin Hodegetria (second half of the 19th c.) and the belt buckle with Sts. Constantine and Helen (end of the 19th c.) in the Regional History Museum of Kurdzali, Bulgaria [19, fig. 1, 2]; the belt buckle with the Dormition of the Virgin (19th c.) in the Folklore Museum of Larissa, Greece, a photo available at: https://www.archaiologia.gr/blog/photo/%CF%80%CF%8C%CF%81%CF %80%CE%B7-%CE%BB%CE%B1%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF% 8C-%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C-%CE%BC%CE%BF%CF% 85%CF%83%CE%B5%CE%AF%CE%BF-%CE%BB%CE%AC/ (accessed 19 May 2022); the belt buckle with the Nativity of Christ (19th c.) in the Archaeological Museum of Chalkida, Greece, a photo available at: https://
The belt buckle of hieromonk Isaiah (1732) from the group of hieratic belt buckles26 has not only an original form, but also unique iconography27. It belongs to the rare belt buckles dating back to the second quarter of the 18th century and showing similarities with a hieratic belt buckle of the 17th-18th century, made in a Constantinopolitan workshop, the place of preservation of which is unknown today [35, p. 38-39, fig. 68B; 9, p. 83].
In Melenikon (Melnik)28, the place where the belt buckle of hieromonk Isaiah was made, there was an organized guild of the goldsmiths29 since the 16th-17th century30, but unfortunately the names of the goldsmiths remain unknown. During the first half of the 18th century and mainly during its second quarter, the time when our belt buckle was made, the data collected from the inscriptions on eight objects of minor arts show the activity of goldsmiths in Mele-nikon (Melnik)31.
www.medievalroutes.gr/el/sylloges/antikeimena/4509_el/ (accessed 19 May 2022); the belt buckle with the Nativity of Christ (19th c.) in the Folklore Museum of Larissa, Greece, a photo available at: http://larmouseia. thessaly.gov.gr/foto_object.php?EId=335 (accessed 19 May 2022).
26 There isn't much research on this category of belt buckles. In Bulgarian bibliography they are known as bishop's belt buckles (vladishki pafti) or ecclesiastical belt buckles (carkovni pafti), and it is presumed that they were given during the ordination of the owner, see: https://liternet.bg/publish26/gatia-simeonova/pafti. htm#1 (accessed 23 May 2022); [38, pp. 160-161].
27 At this moment we don't know other belt buckles with similar iconography. This is why we can't exclude the fact that probably hieromonk Isaiah himself gave the idea and chose the representations, as he was a painter.
28 For the general information about the minor works from Melenikon (Melnik) see mainly: [5, pp. 516-518].
29 In the official charter of Melenikon (Melnik) Commune, known as KaraarariKO tov Koivov MeXevlKov (1813), there is evidence on this type of goldsmiths' guild, see: [41].
30 See the two vessels (jugs) from the second half of the 16th c. and from the late 16th century from Melenikon (Melnik), now in the Benaki Museum in Athens, Greece, which bear inscriptions referring to the Metropolis of Melenikon (Melnik)[7, p. 269, fig. 95, p. 268, fig. 94; 5, p. 516, note 48]; the orarion with silver-gilt plaquettes with the archangels (1632/3) in the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos [5, p. 516, fig. 462-463]; the old casket of the Holy Girdle (1636) of the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos with the following inscription: 'Apx^v nepa, XeXqfa ev MeXev'iKU / Ki/tiTiov neXu pev ¿k tov apyvpov / aXX' ovv epavTU iepov y' oX/ov fepu / Ztivqv iepav Mapia, 0eoT6Kov / xapi(opevq(; Tyv \apiv ye nXovalu, ito, avTopoXeovaiv avTfi ev niaTei. I AeinoT 'ovv ye tov &eov XiTaveu lopov Kvplav Tyv ye XpiaTov pqTepa lef & ¿k tov navTo, KaKov nepiaKeneiv itov, avaXuTa, ySe avvSpopqTa, Sy l tov XoipiKov Kai davarnv Tyv af&v noXiv lavv t& fiXevae/ei ev toi, xpiaTiavoi, l KuvaTavTivu AqpqTpiov KaXapnaKq l naa^aXi Fiopyn naa^aXi xpvao\6ov l Kapoi Sod^TU qx®P, aov, Kvpla, t& avvSpopqTfi iepeiFevaSlu l 1636 [29, p. 24-25; 5, p. 516-518].
31 In 1725, a hieromonk named Konstantinos Antoniou of Melenikon (Melnik), made a belt buckle for Komnenis Bournazi, kept nowadays at the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos which bears the following dedicatory inscription: AEHCIC AOYAHC KYPIOYKOMNEN[H]C QYFATPOC TOYMAKAPITOY 0OMA MnOYPNAZH AnO MEA(E)NHKO", "KONCTANTINOCIEPOMONAXOC TOY ANTONIOY 1725 AnO MEA(E)NHKO" (A prayer of the servant of Lord, Komnenis, daughter of the late lamented Thomas Bourna-zis from Mel(e)niko. Hieromonk Konstantinos Antoniou 1725 from Mel(e)niko)[5, pp. 516-518]. In 1730, an unknown goldsmith from Melenikon (Melnik) made several silver-gilt plaquettes with depictions of the Crucifixion, which were sewn as decoration on a velvet orarion kept at the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos [5, p. 516, fig. 462]. In 1732, the presented here belt buckle was made by a goldsmith, most probably named Demetrios, for the hieromonk Isaiah of Ioannina, kept in a private collection of Attica, Greece. In 1733, an anonymous goldsmith made a sanctification cross kept at the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos [5, p. 517]. In 1737, an unknown goldsmith made a silver gilded reliquary of St. Foteini with the financial aid of Makarios, protosyncellos of the Metropolis of Melenikon (Melnik), with unknown place of preservation nowadays [53, p. 97]. In 1750, an anonymous goldsmith made a sanctification cross, kept at the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos [5, p. 517]. In the first half of the 18th century some Konstantinos and his wife
In conclusion, we should mention that our belt buckle is a very interesting and important artefact because it bears a lot of information through its inscriptions. We know the name of the person from the ecclesiastical circle, hieromonk Isaiah of Ioannina, who commissioned it, the name of the town where it was made, Melenikon (Melnik), and the year of its creation, 1732. Moreover, it bears the name of the servant of God Demetrios, who probably was its master or someone who owned it later.
The form of the belt buckle, as well as the depictions of the New Testament Holy Trinity and the Annunciation with the Prophets David and Solomon, demonstrate the stylistic trends and subjects in decoration of hieratic belt buckles, not previously known to the scholarly community. We hope that this new information will help to enrich our knowledge about the post-Byzantine minor arts of the second quarter of the 18th century.
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Title. An Unknown Belt Buckle (1732) of Hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina from a Private
Collection in Greece
Author. Trifonova, Alexandra Ph. — Ph. D., assistant professor. Sofia University "St Kli-
ment Ohridski", 18, Prof. Ivan Dujcev str., Sofia 1618, Bulgaria; assistant professor. University of Messina, Department of Ancient and Modern Civilizations, Viale Giovanni Palatuci 13, 98168 Messina, Italy; altrifonova@yahoo.com; ORCID: 0000-0002-5221-6220
Abstract. The article presents an unknown belt buckle (22,5x9,5 cm) from a private collection in Attica, Greece. It is made of silver and copper alloy, gilded for the most part, and consists of three parts — a central oval shaped part with the New Testament Holy Trinity, and two side parts with the Annunciation, surrounded by two prophets, David and Solomon. The top side of the belt buckle bears a dedicatory inscription in Greek: AIA CHNAPOMHC- EMOY • ICA/ IOYIEPOMONAXOY • TOY / EE IQANHNQN1732 EKATAC/KIAC&I EIC MEЛENHKON (With the contribution of me, hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina, 1732, made in Melenikon), whereas the back side bears another inscription: AC^OC TOY &EOY/ ANMITPIOC (Servant of God Dimitrios). The object belongs to the group of hieratical (ecclesiastical) belt buckles. It is a very interesting and important artifact for the study of post-Byzantine silverware production, because it bears the name of a person from the ecclesiastical circle, Hieromonk Isaiah of Ioannina, who commissioned it, the name of the town where the belt buckle was made, Melenikon (Melnik), and also the year in which it was made — 1732. Moreover, the belt buckle bears the name of the servant of God Demetrios, who probably was its maker or someone who owned it later. The form, as well as the depictions of the New Testament Holy Trinity and the Annunciation with the prophets David and Solomon, demonstrate some new stylistics trends and new subjects in decoration of hieratical belt buckles so far unknown.
Keywords: Post-Byzantine art, belt buckle, Ioannina, Melnik, hieromonk Isaiah, Dimitrios
Название статьи. Неизвестная пряжка иеромонаха Исаии из Янины (1732) из частной коллекции в Греции
Сведения об авторе. Трифонова, Александра Ф. — Ph. D., ассистент. Софийский университет имени Св. Климента Охридского, ул. Проф. Ивана Дуйчева, 1618 София, Болгария; ассистент. Мессинский университет, Виале Джованни Палатучи 13, 98168 Мессина, Италия; altrifonova@yahoo.com; ORCID: 0000-0002-5221-6220
Аннотация. В статье представлена ранее не публиковавшаяся пряжка ремня (22,5x9,5 см) из частной коллекции в Аттике, Греция. Пряжка сделана из сплава серебра и меди, большей частью позолочена. Она состоит из трех частей: центральной овальной с изображением Новозаветной Троицы, и двух боковых с изображением Благовещения и двух пророков, Давида и Соломона. В верхней части надписи имеется греческая надпись: «по поручению моему, иеромонаха Исаии из Янины, сделано в 1732 г. в Мелнике», а сзади имеется другая надпись: «раб Божий Димитрий». Произведение принадлежит к группе церковных пряжек. Оно очень интересно и важно для изучения поствизантийского среброделия, поскольку содержит надписи с именами заказчика, духовного лица, иеромонаха Исаии из Янины, местом изготовления и датой. Кроме того, в другой надписи содержится имя Димитрия, который, вероятно, был мастером, изготовившим пряжку, или одни из ее позднейших владельцев. Форма, как и изображения Троицы и Благовещения с пророками Давидом и Соломоном, представляют новые стилистические тенденции и новую тематику в украшении таких произведений церковного прикладного искусства, до сих пор не встречавшиеся.
Ключевые слова: поствизантийское искусство, пряжка, Янина, Мелник, иеромонах Исаия, Димитрий
