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Description: | Whole cast copper alloy lozenge shaped seal box with a hinged lid. Late 1st-Mid 2nd century Roman in date. There is incomplete enamel inlaid on the lid within a recurring lozenge pattern (totalling 16 cells). There are projecting rounded knops at the side angle points of the lozenge with grooves underneath them and at the bottom there is a lozenge shaped knop. The box does not open as the hinged area has rusted suggesting the presence of an iron securing pin. The reverse demonstrates four holes for attachment purposes. There is nothing inside the box. Uneven patina is present on the artefact.
Seal boxes were used as security devices when sending written messages or packages. The cord to secure the items would be passed through the hole at the hinge of the seal box, around the package/letter and back through the holes on either side of the box where it would then be tied in a knot inside the seal box, sealed with wax and stamped with a seal, possibly from a Roman intaglio ring (Mills 2000 page 97 and Cudderford 1994 page 42). | Format: | text/html | License: | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ | Publisher: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Rights holder: | The Portable Antiquities Scheme | Subjects: | archaeology | Temporal: | 43
150 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
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