SEAL MATRIX

Treasure case 2017 T619: Acquired by Somerset Museum Service

Description: An oval silver seal matrix missing its central intaglio and a second intaglio on the back. The seal has the inscription + SIGILLVM SECRETI within plain line borders. The inscription encircles the central cell which would have held a stone or glass intaglio. The cell has a thin raised rim. The back has a bevelled edge leaving a smaller flat oval in the centre. There is an incised line running around the centre on the upper part of the bevel. In the centre of the flat area is a raised rim creating a second, almost circular, cell. The outer side of this rim is decorated with regularly spaced parallel incised lines.

At the top is a suspension loop formed of a strip of silver soldered onto the bevelled part and bent back on itself to form a transverse circular loop which projects above the top edge.

Dimensions: The seal is 18.6mm wide, 22.8mm long excluding the loop, 26.7mm including it. 3.7mm thick excluding the raised cells edges and 6.6mm including them. The cell ion the front is 21.2mm by 7.7mm and 3.9mm deep. The cell on the back is 6.9mm by 7.7mm and 2.2mm deep. It matrix weighs 4.57 grams.

Discussion: The legend translates as secret seal placing this matrix as the personal counter seal used on the back of a larger seal. Often by someone countersealing an official seal or in a larger household the magnate countersealing a larger seal held by an official in the household. This seal might also be used privately by the magnate. Harvey and McGuinness (1996:58) suggest that 'we find increasingly in the 13th century that secretum appears in the legend and the owner's name is omitted' and that the use of such seals had almost died out by the 14th century suggesting a date of AD 1200-1400 for this example.

It is likely he matrix originally held an intaglio, either roman or contemporary on the front and possibly also on the back. Again, this was most fashionable in the 13th and early 14th century (Harvey and McGuiness (ibid:15). Flat seals with secondary designs on the back are rarer in this period but known such as 2009 T6 with an intaglio only on the front and HESH-DA00E4, which does not have an intaglio both dated to AD 1200-1400. Those examples also have a similar loop projecting at the top, a slightly unusual arrangement but commoner on silver seals with bevelled backs such as 2015 T705.

Given the location of the findspot it is tempting to associate the seal with Cleeve Abbey however Cistercians had very clear rules on sealing practices and did not include the use of a private seal after 1307 and before then it had to be specifically labelled as a contrasigillum which this is not (Harvey and McGuinness ibid:101). It is likely therefore to have belonged to a guest of the abbey.

The matrix appears to consist of over 10% precious metal and be over 300 years old at the time of finding and as such qualifies as potential Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996.

Laura Burnett

Finds Liaison Officer for Devon & Somerset

August 2017