Byzantine Sphragistics International Conference

On 9 and 10 October, 2002, the museum hosted the Byzantine Sphragistics International Conference marking the 80th anniversary of birth and 50th anniversary of the beginning of work at the Hermitage of Valentina Samoylovna Shandrovskaya, one of the leading specialists in Byzantine sphragistics.
Valentina S. Shandrovskaya's works "revived in our country the neglected traditions of the research of Byzantine seals; it is due to her efforts that this department of history won the general recognition in Russia over the last decades. The Byzantine Sphragistics International Conference is an international homage to Valentina Samoylovna and her achievements in this both complicated and very interesting field of research.
Scholars from many countries join their efforts in solving problems with the use of sphragistic materials. Biannual international symposia dedicated to Byzantine sphragistics attract ever greater audience. Such a conference is for the first time held in Russia. Presentations made at it which address various themes show how much information may be obtained from seals as monuments of history and art", says Eugenia V. Stepanova of the Hermitage in the foreword to the presentation abstracts published by the museum's publishing house.

The reports read at the session have been published