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Description: | Unusual Medieval cast copper alloy composite seal matrix with hollow conical handle. The matrix and handle were made separately. The matrix is missing but would have been oval (dimensions c.21mmx11mm) and held within the end of the hollow handle. The hollow conical handle is oval sectioned; it is covered in relief moulded decoration - each of the wider sides is decorated with, around the base, three panels containing a cross, a circle with constricted middle and a cross, then above the base is a triangle containing a flower within a circle with a bifoil in the lower two corners of the triangle and a trefoil in the upper corner; the narrow sides are decorated with three projecting scrolling motifs - these appear to be debased stylised animal heads with half-round ears and upwardly curved snouts; the terminal of the handle is in the shape of a bud or lotus flower; it is pierced diagonally (diameter of piercing 3.0-3.4mm (tapers towards the lower hole)) and again vertically through its end (diameter 3.4mm) (this piercing extends into the hollow body of the handle). Fine dark brown-green patina. Height 47.2mm, width 25.9mm, thickness 17.7mm, weight 28.21g.The British Museum has a 9th century Early Medieval cast copper alloy seal matrix of Bishop Aethelwald (BM 1822,1214.1) which is of similar form, but earlier than this example, and the matrix and handle appear to be cast as one.No parallel found on the PAS database.
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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