SWYOR-959957: Medieval seal matrix

Rights Holder: West Yorkshire Archaeology Service
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SEAL MATRIX

Unique ID: SWYOR-959957

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Awaiting validation Find awaiting validation

A medieval lead alloy seal matrix. The matrix is a pointed oval shape with slightly damaged edges and is 27.3mm long and 17.9mm wide. There is an elongated quatrefoil in the centre of the die with the legend round the edge. On the reverse is a central raised rib with a curved raised line on either side of it, like a fleur-de-lis. At the bottom of the rib is a raised lug with a transverse hole forming a suspension loop. At the lug the matrix is 6.2mm thick. Irene Szymanski says: This is a typical "poor quality" 14th century matrix. The execution is fairly crude and the lettering is poor, being uneven, untidy, and frequently reversed. The legend is: S RIDI' FIL' ANGNETE for "Sigillvm (Gal)FRIDI FILII ANGNETE" Galfridi is the Latinization of Geoffrey, here abbreviated. He may well have been known as "Fridi" because it was such a common name. Angnete is presumably his mother, and the modern equivalent of her name would be Agnes. The central device of the matrix is of no particular significance, it's just a memorable design, perhaps intended for a flower.

Inscription: S RIDI' FIL' ANGNETE

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1300
Date to: Circa AD 1400

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Length: 27.3 mm
Width: 17.9 mm
Thickness: 6.2 mm
Weight: 8.5 g

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Monday 27th November 2006

Personal details

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Materials and construction

Primary material: Lead Alloy
Completeness: Complete

Spatial metadata

Region: Yorkshire and the Humber (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Doncaster (Metropolitan District)
District: Doncaster (Metropolitan District)
Parish or ward: Edlington (Civil Parish)

Spatial coordinates

4 Figure: SK5397
Four figure Latitude: 53.467081
Four figure longitude: -1.203097
1:25K map: SK5397
1:10K map: SK59NW
Grid reference source: Centred on village (which isn't a parish)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
General landuse: Cultivated land

References cited

No references cited so far.

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Timeline of associated dates

Audit data

Recording Institution: SWYOR
Created: 17 years ago
Updated: 5 years ago

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