A Post Medieval lead alloy two part sub-rectangular, spade-shaped searchers / alnage seal dating from AD1575-1620. The seal is cast with Roman numerals +ML above +VIIII. The searcher's stamp mark would have been on the reverse but the rivet head markings cannot be made out with certainty and is now hidden by the superglue applied by the finder.
Dimensions: length: 40.97mm; width: 16.21mm, weight: 3.88g.
Similar cloth seals on the database are LIN-52BC58 and WAW-79D3C6
Egan, G. 1995 Lead Cloth Seals and Related Items in the British Museum British Museum Occasional Paper 93, Nos. 117 to 119.
A Post Medieval lead alloy two part sub-rectangular, spade-shaped searchers / alnage seal dating from AD1575-1620. The seal is cast with Roman numerals +ML above +VIIII. The searcher's stamp mark would have been on the reverse but the rivet head markings cannot be made out with certainty and is now hidden by the superglue applied by the finder.
Dimensions: length: 40.97mm; width: 16.21mm, weight: 3.88g.
Similar cloth seals on the database are LIN-52BC58 and WAW-79D3C6
Egan, G. 1995 Lead Cloth Seals and Related Items in the British Museum British Museum Occasional Paper 93, Nos. 117 to 119.
Geoff Egan (B.M.occ.papers 1995 No.117 Fig.26 ) writes "These are a distinct series of proforma seals, cast with standard specifications for different kinds of cloth and with space next to these for an alnager's or searcher's stamp, to confirm that from examination the textile was indeed as the regulations required. The engraving for the Roman numbers is frequently of a very poor standard, and they often come out retrograde. Secondary stamps on seals of this kind include some with a crown over portcullis(at least one from Yorkshire) likely to be from the reign of Elizabeth I, ..... In Addition to London finds, seals of the present series have been recovered in Norfolk and Amsterdam [and now Suffolk!]. The series can be dated to the late sixteenth century and perhaps the first years of the seventeenth century."
Dr. Geoff Egan (Portable Antiquities Scheme Finds Advisor) comments on this seal that it is part of a proforma seal integrally cast with the dimensions as required by law of a particular variety of cloth. 22 is probably length in yards while 18 is probably its weight in pounds (could be the other way round, depending on thickness etc.). There is possibly an E at the end of the legend which could be an 'E' from 'searched', meaning the cloth had been examined. When examining the cloth government officials measured and weighed the cloth and checked it conformed to specifications. 'Searched' was stamped in the blank area below the figures, and then the seal was closed and fixed to the textile so it could be seen on the market stall. Egan goes on to comment that the seal dates from the transitional Medieval to Post Medieval period of the late 16th century to c1620
A RDF representation of LON-92BEEA
2016-10-20T21:41:18+01:00
2017-03-09T12:35:25+00:00
LON-92BEEA
LON-92BEEA
GB
en-GB
The Trustees of the British Museum
The Trustees of the British Museum
1
http://purl.org/NET/Claros/vocab#Thumbnail
Attribute as courtesy of the British Museum
A thumbnail image of LON-92BEEA
Lead Alloy
Primary material of object
Incomplete
16.21
Width
40.97
Length
3.88
Weight
By Attribution 3.0
The period from for the object
Attribute as courtesy of the British Museum
A full resolution image of LON-92BEEA
1575
1650
Method of manufacture
Classification of object