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BULLA
Unique ID: YORYM-7B3582
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A lead papal bulla of Pope Innocent IV dating to the medieval period. Innocent IV was Pope from 25 June 1243 to his death in 1254.
The obverse of the bulla is stamped with the faces of the saints Peter and Paul within a border of raised pellets. Above the heads within the border, the saints' abbreviations are visible with 'SPA' for St. Paul to the left and 'SPE' for St. Peter to the right. The reverse is stamped with INNO//CENTIVS//.PP .IIII. also within a border of raised pellets. The 'PP' stands for 'pastor pastorum' which translates as 'shepherd of the shepherds'.
Papal Bulla such as this acted as seals on official Papal documents to authenticate their provenance and authority.
The metal is a mid greyish-white colour and survives in very good condition. The bulla is 37.9mm in diameter, 5.1mm thick and weighs 39.7g.
Class: Innocent IV
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1243
Date to: Circa AD 1254
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 5.1 mm
Weight: 39.7 g
Diameter: 37.9 mm
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: Yorkshire and the Humber (European Region)County or Unitary authority: East Riding of Yorkshire (Unitary Authority)
District: East Riding of Yorkshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: North Ferriby (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SE9925
Four figure Latitude: 53.71204011
Four figure longitude: -0.50149588
1:25K map: SE9925
1:10K map: SE92NE
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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