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Description: | Incomplete cast copper alloy pedestal or pendant seal matrix with the device of an incuse lion's head facing, with pointed ears that make it appear horned, within an incised six-pointed hexagram or the Star of David on the base. The body of the matrix consists of a pedestal, created from a conical tapering column with six sides. This terminates in a pointed knop, which is probably the base for the suspension loop which is now missing. The die or seal face is sub-circular in plan, with a diameter of 11.7 mm. No orientation marks are present around the base of the matrix and any inscription is difficult to make out because of the corrosion of the die, but there appears to be a letter in each angle between the star points, and the recorder can make out 'V E O L', which may be part of the inscription 'SV LEOL' or 'I am loyal', hence the image of the lion to represent LEO. The Star of David is generally recognised as a symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism. The hexagram has been in use as a symbol of Judaism since the 17th century, with precedents in the 14th to 16th centuries in Central Europe, where a Shield of David was partly used in conjunction with the Seal of Solomon (the hexagram) on Jewish flags. Its use probably derives from Medieval (11th to 13th century) Jewish protective amulets (segulot).The closest comparable example with lion's head within a six-pointed star on the database can be seen in NMS-8C24D3, which also has the inscription 'SV LEOL' and dates from the 14th century.Signet finger rings also have this device with often a letter within a six-pointed star, as illustrated in Bailey (2008) on page 29, Fig.C8.8, which is dated from the 15th century.
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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