SPINDLE WHORL

A medieval, lead alloy papal bulla that has been flattened and pierced, possibly to act as a spindle whorl. It is 36.16mm in diameter and 6.9mm thick. It weighs 43.97g. The hole in the centre measures 11-12mm in diameter.

The reverse depicts St. Paul and St. Peter, each face in a beaded border. The legend above reads "SPA SPE", (Sanctus PAulus and Sanctus PEtrus).

The obverse reads: IOhAn / n[VS] PP / XXIII, suggesting that this is a bull of Pope John the 23rd (PP means Pastor Pastorum - Shepherd of the Shepherds).

However, Pope John the 23rd was a twentieth century pope (1958-1963) and this is clearly a medieval bulla. Instead, this seal seems to refer to Baldassarre Cossa (c. 1370 - 22 December 1419), who was antipope John XXIII during the Western Schism.

The Western Schism is the period (1378-1417) in the Western church when two (and then three) popes simultaneously claimed to be legitimate. Antipope John XXIII was pope between 1410 and 1415. He was one of the seven cardinals who, in May 1408, deserted Pope Gregory XII, and, with those belonging to the obedience of Antipope Benedict XIII, convened the Council of Pisa, of which Cossa became the leader. They elected Pope Alexander V in 1409. Cossa succeeded him a year later.

This was the first example of a bulla of Antipope John XXIII to be recorded on the PAS database but there are now at least six. Another example is held by the British Library: W de G Birch 1900, Catalogue of Seals in the Dept of Manuscripts in the British Museum [now B. Library] vol. 6, BM, London, 290-1 no 21, 919.

This example is also unusual because of the large hole in the centre. Another example on the database with a large hole is HESH-1517A7, a bulla of Innocent IV, and WREX-55AF7A.