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Description: | A complete copper alloy 13th century seal matrix. The die is sub circular in plan and shows the negative image (facing right) of a lion rampant. Around the die (also in negative) are the letters S??CLVDE DE ..?REA, separated from the design by a dotted line that follows the shape of the die. The shaft is conical, six sided and terminates in a quatrefoil shaped loop, intact but damaged. The die is 18.36 in diameter. The over all length of the matrix is 20.08mm and it weighs 7.29g. Some of the original surface survives with a dark green patina, though at least half of the object is abraded with lighter green surfaces revealed.
Harvey and McGuiness 1996, explain in A Guide to British Medieval Seals (page 79) that by the end of the twelfth century the use of seals had spread beyond the gentry and seals such as this one went on to predominate throughout the thirteenth century. They were simple designs surrounded by the name of the owner, and the lion rampant was a popular choice amongst other symbols such as the Fleur ?de-lis or flowers. It was not because of ?social pretension?, but because the legalities of landownership required it, however small the holding was. | 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: | 1200
1300 | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Caroline McDonald | Identifier: | http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefac... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
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