Rights Holder: Birmingham Museums Trust
CC License:
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Unique ID: WMID-921B94
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A lead alloy circular seal matrix dating to the medieval period, circa AD 1150-1400.
The seal has been made in one piece with the remains of an integrally moulded suspension loop at the reverse. The front face is decorated with a central eight pointed flower or star design within an incised circle. Inscribed around the circumference is the legend which starts at 12 o'clock and reads: + S' RIC' HVRM (Seal of Richard Hurm)
The reverse is plain and has a small protrusion located at 12 o'clock that would have been for suspension, the loop is now incomplete. The object has a mid-cream coloured patina across both faces. The object measures 24.49 mm in diameter, 6.69 mm in thickness (including the remains of the loop) and weighs 16.2 grams.
This is a personal seal, but it is difficult to establish the likely surname. It might possibly have been Hurdman or Hurnman (meaning 'one who tends cattle' or 'dweller by the nook' (OE hyrne)).
Cherry (1997:p128) states that in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries many seals were produced in lead or copper alloy which had simple devices on them such as stars, fleur-de-lys or religious subjects, and the owners names. Cherry (1997:p.133) also discusses how personal seals were often carried on the person usually in a leather pouch or were attached to the belt by a chain. Some seals may also have been worn around the neck, attached by the loop as seen on this example.
Cherry, J., (1997) in Collon, D. 7000 Years of Seals. Chapter eight: Medieval and post-medieval seals. London, British Museum Press
Class:
personal
Sub class: man
Inscription:
+ S' RIC' HVRM
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1200
Date to: Circa AD 1300
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 6.69 mm
Weight: 16.2 g
Diameter: 24.49 mm
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 28th May 2017 - Sunday 28th May 2017
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4 Figure: SJ8358
Four figure Latitude: 53.11890188
Four figure longitude: -2.25545876
1:25K map: SJ8358
1:10K map: SJ85NW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.