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Description: | A post-medieval two part lead alloy cloth seal (AD1400-1900).Cloth seals are cast in one piece, and consist of two discs with a connecting strip. One of the discs has a rivet, and when the strip is folded over this rivet is placed through a corresponding hole on the other disc. The rivet is then bent over and flattened and the seal stamped with one, or between two, dies (matrices) (Egan 1994, p.4).One the back of the disc with the rivet are markings which do not parallel examples in Egan 1994. These were therefore most likely a later addition on the plain disc face. The inscription reads ZXP with the vertical line of the P running at an angle and further into the centre of the disc. Below this appear to be the characters 3X. The surface is worn and any further inscriptions cannot be deciphered. The opposing side with the bent rivet has been pressed with a generic design, again not comparable with those in Egan. This design consists of an outer circle in which there are at least seven raised star shapes of equal size with six points.Stamped lead seals such as this were attached to cloths as part of the system of regulation and quality control for commercial trade. In England cloth seals also indicated that a payment of tax had been made to the crown (Egan 1994, p.1)The discs have a diameter of 26.10mm and the total length including the loop is 39.65. It is 3.52mm thick and weighs 14.02g.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/ | Go to resource |
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