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Description: | Medieval cast copper alloy pedestal type seal matrix showing the head of St John the Baptist on a platter. The matrix face is slightly oval. The pedestal is faceted with six facets thins as it rises to a triple collar topped by a trefoil terminal. The central collar of the three is more prominent. The trefoil terminal is flat with a piercing through it that holds the rusted remains of an iron loop. There are sereval small dents in the pedestal byut none which clearly indicate the orientation of the design on the matrix.The design in the centre of the matrix is of the head of St John the Baptist in a bowl, the bowl rests on a plate and there is a sword above the head. An arm comes in from the lower right and its hand holds the plate. The head is very crude. The design is within a pellet border. Around the design is a legend witin a outer pellet border, unusually it starts at 10 o'clock. The legend starts with a star and reads: *CAPVT IOhxIS (Head of John). The x is lighter than the other letters and it is not clear if it is a contraction mark, part of the arm from the central design or a filler. The P and h are badly done, both with just two uprights as the curved lines seemed problematic to the engraver.It is 24.3mm high, the matrix face is 19.3mm by 18.6mm and it weighs 7.87 grams.Several very similar matrices are recorded on the database. They have similarly crude heads and legends that start before 12 o'clcok and may be from the same maker: YORYM-303948 from North Yorkshire, DENO-F27E80 from South Yorkshire, WMID-0A7FB2 from Staffordshire and WMID-516FB0 from Buckinghamshire. Harvey and McGuinness attribute anonymous personal seals of this form to the 14th century , and cite 'Caput Johannis' as one of the pious phrases commonly employed (1996: 88-9).
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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