Roman or Byzantine, ca. 4th to 7th century CE. A rectangular bronze bread stamp with two rows of Greek letters, each within a thick bronze border. The verso has a double loop handle with an applied flat panel at the center. Size: 3.125" W x 1.375" H (7.9 cm x 3.5 cm)

Bread stamps have been used throughout the Old World, particularly the Mediterranean and Near East, since the emergence of Greco-Roman culture; they were used for religious, magical, economic, and identification purposes. For example, in classical Greece, bread would be stamped when it was used in a ritual performance or as offerings (Herodotus describes this). Several stamped, carbonized loaves of bread have been documented from Pompeii; they were stamped with the name of the baker in order to establish ownership and prevent forgeries. Later, Eucharistic bread was stamped with a variety of religious symbols.

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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#175739

Small section of loss at upper midsection as shown.