|
Date: |
|
Description: | MED Lead papal bull seal (bulla) of Gregory IX (1227-41). Although finds of bullae are not uncommon, and those of Gregory IX are rather more common than many, this find is unusual and of importance because it has subsequently been pierced. These seals were made by clamping either a silk or hemp thread to a papal document to authenticate it, and the ridge on the obverse clearly shows the renains of this attachment. However, at a later point, a hole has been punched through at the top, slightly pushing out the edge, so that the bulla can be suspended. This is unlikely to have been to reattach the object to the document. A bulla was only useful if it had its original thread, to show the document had not been tampered with; anyone could pierce a bulla and tie it onto a letter. This means the bulla had been used as something else later, although quite what is unclear. It is possible that they were kept as good luck charms (amulets) having come from Rome, itself a place of pilgrimage. A few other examples of pierced bullae are known from Norfolk. All are of 13th century date, so it may be a fad dating from that time. | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
BULL
MED Lead papal bull seal…
-
BULLA
Approximately half of a lead…
-
BULLA
An incomplete and corroded Medieval…
-
BULLA
A complete lead alloy papal…
-
BULLA
A complete lead alloy papal…
-
BULLA
A complete lead papal bull…
-
BULL
A complete lead papal bull…
-
BULLA
A complete lead bulla of…
-
Bulla
A Medieval lead papal bulla…
-
BULLA
A complete, but reused cast…
|