Table of Contents
Introduction
Roman wax seals were made by pouring wax into a copper-alloy box. These boxes have a base and a lid; the base has notches in the sides to allow a cord (to be fastened by the seal) to enter the box, a number of holes in the base, and a double hinge loop; the lid is flat with a single hinge loop. The lids should not be mistaken for pendants, or for brooches, with which they can share certain decorative motifs (Andrews 2012, 99-101).
There are a number of seal boxes published in Crummy (1983, 103-104); the types suggested there have been superseded by more recent work by Andrews (2012, 105; Table 3).
The Romans don’t appear to have used personal seals; the only matrices known are the intaglios in signet rings. Seal boxes are currently thought to be security items relating to trade, having been attached to satchels and bags (Andrews 2012).
PAS object type to be used
Use SEAL BOX
PAS object classification to be used
Andrews’s types can be used to classify seal boxes. Use in the Classification field in this format: Andrews Type P3D3
Terms to use in the description
Seal boxes can, in the first instance, be divided by shape. They can be circular (Andrews Type C), drop-shaped (Andrews Type P), lozengiform (Andrews Type L), square (Andrews Type S), pointed oval (Andrews Type V), as well as other, more idiosyncratic, forms. Additionally they can be classified by design: Andrews gives fifteen main designs, numbers prefaced by ‘D’. Common designs include heart/leaf motifs (D3), lattices of enamelled cells (D1), and riveted animals (D6). Bases tend to have a number of holes, general three or four, arranged generally according the logic of the seal box’s form.
Date
Many are enamelled, dated from the late 1st century for the earliest to the mid 3rd century, or slightly later. Other examples, notably circular ones with separately riveted zoomorphic forms, including eagles and frogs, are considered to be earlier (mid 1st to early 2nd century), as are lids of various different forms with punched or relief decoration and without enamel (Andrews 2012, 72-73).
Examples
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