Rights Holder: I. Szymanski
CC License:

Image use policy

Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).

SEAL MATRIX

Unique ID: IHS-0BA4C2

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Awaiting validation

A copper alloy, vesica-shaped (pointed oval) seal matrix, suspension loop intact on reverse. Device: the angel showing the empty tomb after Christ's resurrection. The angel is on the left, sitting on the edge of a cross-hatched rectangular tomb, whose open lid is propped up vertically inside it. Although the angel is seated facing the viewer, his upper body is turned to his left, such that his right wing is visible running down the left-hand edge of the scene, and his face is in profile. In his right hand he holds what appears to be a scroll, whilst he indicates the empty tomb with his left. He has short hair and is nimbed. Between his face and his right hand there appears to be a piece of foliage. Below the angel's feet, in the vesica's bottom point, there is a hooded head facing right. Although much of the device is separated from the legend by a line, this stops short of the head, which sits, disembodied and incongrupus, below the angel's feet. A similar line once ran around the outer edge of the matrix face, but the vast majority of it is now lost. Measurements: 21 mm x 35 mm.

Notes:

Scene is Christ's empty tomb on Easter morning (Matthew, chapter 28; Mark, chapter 16; Luke, chapter 24 and John, chapter 20). The scene is as expected, except for two minor details. One of these is the apparent rolled-up scroll the angel is holding; if this is indeed a scroll, one might expect to see it unfurled and reading "Christ is Risen", or something similar. The other detail is the sprig of foliage close to the angel's face, which is not always found in representations of this scene. This is a palm frond which evokes Christ's entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, but it also represents Christ's ultimate victory over death and sin; it is used in the second sense (victory over death) when shown with martyrs. The angel at the tomb is normally found in the company of humans insofar as the scene often incorporates Mary Magdalene or St Peter, both of whom the Gospels describe as encountering the angel at the tomb, or the soldiers who were terrified when the angel appeared.1 These figures are absent from this matrix, doubtless for reasons of space; the single head at the bottom may be intended to represent a soldier if it is male, or Mary Magdalene if female. It is also possible that it is intended to represent that matrix. The place name is a combination of "thorn" (-tree) and "farmstead, enclosure".

Inscription: +S'RICARDI DE THORNETVN (The seal of Richard of Thorneton).

Subsequent actions

Current location of find: Returned to finder
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Date from: AD 1200
Date to: AD 1400

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Length: 35 mm
Width: 21 mm

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Friday 19th July 2002

Personal details

This information is restricted for your access level.

Other reference numbers

Other reference: Originally York Sealmat 183

Materials and construction

Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast

Spatial metadata

Region: Eastern (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Essex (County)
District: Chelmsford (District)

References cited

No references cited so far.

Similar objects

Find number: KENT-A5D427
Object type: SEAL MATRIX
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Copper alloy vesica-shaped seal matrix. This example is damaged, missing one end, and with the handle broken off the back. The remaining sec…
Workflow: Awaiting validation

Find number: WILT-E7CFA4
Object type: MOUNT
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
A fragment of a Medieval circular mount, engraved with a scene representing the Resurrection of Christ. It would have originally been c.35mm …
Workflow: Published

Find number: WMID-F70C70
Object type: MOUNT
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
An incomplete copper alloy figurative applique plaque of a reclining Medieval knight from a Cruxification scene, of Medieval dating (AD 1400 …
Workflow: Awaiting validation

Timeline of associated dates

Report a mistake

Audit data

Recording Institution: IHS
Created: 17 years ago
Updated: 11 years ago

Other formats: this page is available as qrcode json xml geojson pdf rdf representations.