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Description: | A copper-alloy Medieval seal matrix. The matrix face is circular with a diameter of 17.7mm. The matrix has a height of 23.43mm and weighs 7.81g. The face of the matrix is decorated in the negative and therefore the design would show in relief on any corresponding seal impression. The central design is a heart with a six pointed star, formed of three lines crossing at the centre, above. The legend is bordered above and below by a thin solid line. The central field has a diameter of 9.3mm and the area between the legend borders has a width of 2.3mm. The outer legend border is set 0.6mm in from the edge of the artefact. The initial mark of the legend is a six pointed star, also formed of three lines crossing at the centre. The legend reads LE(?maybe G)ETE(?maybe n)E follwed by a symbol, probably a three pointed leaf. The edge of the matrix face is slightly damaged in places with the edge in one place having broken away to the outer edge of the legend field.The circular face of the matrix tapers on the reverse, towards the centre, with a rectangular/flattened hexagonal cross-section to form a handle. As the reverse starts to taper to a point the circle quickly becomes hexagonal and then becomes the sub-rectangular/flattened hexagonal cross-section after it reaches the narrowest part of the handle shaft c. 9.8mm away from the matrix face. This narrowest point has a width of 3.86mm and thickness of 4.0mm. The shaft then flares out again to 6.07mm x 6.56mm. A narrow shallow transverse groove is present just before the shaft narrows again, stepping in on all sides for the start of a lozenge shaped terminal. The shaft measure 3.66mm x 5.62mm at this junction above the collar and at the start of the terminal. The lozenge accounts for 7.7mm of the total height of the matrix, has a width of 3.5mm x 8.0mm. The lozenge also has a sub-rectangular/flattened hexagonal cross-section. At the centre of the lozenge is a circular perforation, of 1.5mm diameter, that would have acted as a suspension loop .
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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