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SEAL MATRIX
Unique ID: CORN-95F6FB
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An incomplete cast lead personal seal matrix dating from the Medieval period. The seal was originally circular in plan, 27.5 mm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness; approximately a third of the matrix is missing, including around 40 per cent of its circumference; its current weight is 6.9 g. The central device is of a flower with a deeply stamped equal-armed foliate cross, which completely pierces the thickness of the seal in several places, alternating with lightly incised smaller petals in the four angles. The legend around the circumference is contained within an outer, continuous band and an inner band of minute, incised triangles and starts with a Maltese cross but the first half of the inscription is missing and the second half reads OF.LARDV which is part of a name-legend and probably dates from the mid to late 13th century (Elizabeth New pers comm). Personal seal matrices of this form, with simple non-heraldic designs, can be dated from the 13th or 14th centuries and were commonly used by even the smallest landowners.
Harvey and McGuinness (1996) illustrate a similar circular non-heraldic personal seal matrix with a flower device on page 76, fig.70, which dates from c.1260.
New (2010) illustrates a similar floral device on a seal impression attached to a document dating from 1284 on p.98, fig.5.5.
Inscription:
OF.LARDV
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Middle
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Middle
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1250
Date to: Circa AD 1300
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 2 mm
Weight: 6.9 g
Diameter: 27.5 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 3rd September 2018 - Monday 3rd September 2018
Personal details
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Materials and construction
Primary material: Lead
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Fragment
Spatial metadata
Region: East Midlands (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Lincolnshire (County)
District: South Holland (District)
Parish or ward: Sutton St. Edmund (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TF3715
Four figure Latitude: 52.71532071
Four figure longitude: 0.02671325
1:25K map: TF3715
1:10K map: TF31NE
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey, P.D.A. and McGuinness, A. | 1996 | A Guide to British Medieval Seals | London | British Library and Public Record Office | p.76, fig.70 | ||
| New, E.A. | 2010 | Seals and Sealing Practices | London | British Records Association | p.98, fig.5.5 |
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Timeline of associated dates
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