Judaea, Personal PB Token of Rolanos(?). Circa 5th-6th centuries AD

Judaea, Personal PB Token of Rolanos(?). Circa 5th-6th centuries AD. Menorah of seven branches, flanked by lulav and etrog / POΛANOY in two lines across field; palm frond above. Cf. CNG E-435, lot 401 (same dies). 3.44g, 16mm, 6h.



Good Very Fine, original 'desert' patina.



From a private North American collection.



This lead object is clearly related to the series of late Roman/early Byzantine seals bearing a figural type on one side, with a legend in two lines in Latin or Greek on the other. Other seals with a menorah are also known, usually with a blank, globular reverse (cf. CNG E-245, lot 530 and CNG E-410, lot 103).



Byzantine tokens as a class are poorly understood and no good suggestions can yet be made as to their function. Many appear closely related to the seals, differing only in the absence of a cord or channel for attachment to a document, as with the present example.