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Description: | A glass seal from a bottle of probable post-medieval date (1600-1800). The fragment is incomplete, having been broken across the lower edge of the seal. It is irregular in shape, although originally the seal would have been oval. It has been applied to the body of a large vessel, most probably a wine bottle. The remnants of this vessel can be clearly seen on the reverse where a distinct line or join can be seen. The remains of the glass vessel have been broken and so it mirrors the shape of the seal. The bottle glass (as opposed to the seal) is 2.95mm thick. There is not enough of the bottle surviving to suggest the overall size or shape.The glass seal is broadly oval in shape and has been impressed with a circular seal. Due to the break the lower part of this has been lost. What survives of the impressed design consists of a diademed and crowned head in profile facing right. On either side of the head is a crowned letter A with a V-shaped bar. The crowns are formed from a double band with a series of vertical lines projecting upwards. Above the profile head is what appears to be a similar larger crown; although this may alternatively be debased letters, there does seem to be a single band connecting them all. The head also wears a diadem around the forehead, consisting of a narrow ridge forming each edge of a ribbon with pellets along its length. Around the perimeter of the impressed seal are a series of pellets which form a rope-like border.The overall design of the head on the seal is similar to that seen on coins from the later Roman period, specifically the later 4th century AD. However, the style of the As are typically late medieval. Glass bottle seals are dated from the later post-medieval period, specifically 17th and 18th centuries. It is possible that this example dates from the neo-classical period in the 18th century. It should also be noted that the head on the seal might also be tentatively described as being that of a black African.The seal measures 34mm length, 39.1mm width, is maximum of 9.9mm thick and weighs 14.24g.The seal and bottle are formed from a mid green coloured glass, with a significant number of air bubbles, mostly oval in shape. The glass has deteriorated in the soil and has an opalescence or iridescent colour which is extremely flaky in nature. The break has a similar patina, suggesting relatively old break, although the edges are relatively un-abraded.Images of the seal have been shown to Dr Rachel Tyson, a specialist in glass artefacts and she has confirmed a 17th-18th century date. She comments that the seal is "unusual, but I do think that it is a 17th or 18th century wine bottle seal ... with milled edges. There were quite a variety of motifs to depict tavern names." Thanks are extended to Dr Tyson for her time and comments.
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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