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Description: | A copper alloy seal matrix dating from the medieval period. The matrix is broken, with the suspension loop missing. It is 16.6mm tall, and the circular face has a diameter of 18.9mm. The handle flares from the missing loop to the matrix face. The design is of two objects. One is clearly a chopper, axe or cleaver, but the other looks like a stick with a heart or bird shaped object at the top. There are faint traces of a possible shield round the objects. The legend is fairly crude with large letters. It appears to read "+(S' WILLI)AVME" with the S retrograde. This could either mean 'The Seal of William' (spelled unconventionally), or 'The Seal of Willi Avme' being the individual's full name. The matrix probably dates from the thirteenth century. Other matrices depicting meat cleavers are believed to belong to butchers. Examples include IHS-A5A851and IHS-E110C7. It is also possible that the item depicted is the iron cap from a plough as on IHS-FCC985. Another similar matrix is IHS-510661 which depicts an axe like the one on this example. It also has leaves at the end of the legend, strongly suggesting that the owner was a woodsman of some kind, and that is also a possibility for this matrix.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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