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Description: | A near complete cast copper alloy pedestal / pendant seal matrix of medieval date (1250-1400). The die is broadly circular in plan whilst the reverse pedestal is broken across the suspension loop. The break is patinated. The body of the matrix is a pedestal formed from six irregular tapering sides which taper forming a moulded band surmounted by a single loop. There are no marks on any of the faces to aid orientation during use. The die / seal face is well preserved but the edges are heavily abraded resulting in the loss of the inscription. The central device of the seal depicts a bird perched on a nest - this is most likely to be "a pelican in her piety", i.e., a female pelican, here perching on the edge of her nest (being almost hawk-like), pecking at her breast in order to draw the blood with which she feeds her chick, beak agape, in the nest below. The bird's body forms an arch across the top of the scene, the nest forming the bottom arc. Her head is at the right on seal and left in impression and her tail interferes with the legend opposite; the head of the chick extends from the nest. The detailing on the seal is fine and proportioned. The central design is unusually not enclosed. The inscription is mostly lost - however many other examples have a inscription that reads - * SVM PEI / CAVNES DEI which translates as The Pelican of God. The matrix is of a mid-dark green colour with an even polished but corroded patina. This type of seal is dated to the late thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, 1250-1400 although the large die and relatively narrow handle / pedestal might suggest a date later within that bracket (c. 1350 - 1400)The die of the seal matrix measures 18.0mm in diameter, with the reverse rising to a height of 25.1mm. It weighs 7.7 grams.Notes:This form of inscription and device are relatively common and many (more than 40) have been recorded on the PAS database. The notes below are taken from a similar seal matrix on PAS database IHS-114175The design on this matrix is a relatively common one, known as "the pelican in her piety". It is found in a variety of situations in the later mediaeval period, including misericords, seals and rings. The image has its roots in the Bible (Psalms, 102:6). The import of the pelican, thought to be a creature of solitary habits dwelling in Egypt, was developed by Christian commentators. Essentially, the pelican chicks were held to attack their parents as they grew older; the parents, in response, struck back and killed the chicks. However, on the third day the mother pelican drew her own blood which, pouring over the dead chicks, brought them back to life. The pelican was interpreted as Christ, Egypt the world; the bird's solitary nature as emblematic of Jesus' unique birth from a virgin. The death meted out to the chicks was the death meted out to pagan beliefs by Christ's words, and their three days' death, terminated by the shedding of blood, was Christ's blood shed to save mankind. Matrices bearing this legend come in a variety of shapes, with devices and legends of varying quality.
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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