Embleme reprezentând zeităţi de pe ştampilele de amfore de Sinope (în baza colecţiei de la Tyras) / Emblems representing deities on Sinope amphora stamps (based on the Tyras collection)

Abstract

The article is an attempt to interpret some of the emblems on the Sinope amphora stamps, especially those that contain faces of Greek gods and their attributes. 41 stamps from the Tyras collection of Sinope stamps containing such emblems are analyzed and presented. The representation of only some of the gods and attributes on stamps denotes, in our opinion, the preference of Sinope magistrates for deities that had functions of protection and defense, ease of difficult roads that merchants traversed in a world often unknown and hostile. Among the gods and attributes that appear on Sinope stamps we should mention Hermes (the god of trade and merchandise), Athena (protector of crafts), Poseidon (the patron of sailors), and goddess Artemis (who was supposed to guide sailors during the night), or gods that made it easy for travelers (first of all merchants) to safely traverse the roads they were supposed to (Selene, Helios, Hecate) or goddess Nike, one of whose qualities was the role of successful mediator between gods and men during war and during all sorts of misunderstandings between mortals. It is obvious that not all the emblems have a religious significance, but we have tried to focus and interpret only the pieces that contain undoubtedly representations and attributes of certain gods.

Keywords

• greek gods
• amphorae stamps
• emblems
• trade
• magistrates
• roads
• protectors