Rights Holder: Colchester Museums
CC License:
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Unique ID: ESS-4A44E6
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
Incomplete 13th century non-heraldic, personal lead alloy seal matrix. This seal matrix is circular in plan with a diameter of 33.42mm, a thickness of 3.4mm and weighs 14.40g. It has a small semicircular gap to the edge of the die, which has obscured some letters. This gap may also have been where the knop for holding the seal was positioned, as there is no other evidence for it on the reverse. The break edges are worn, suggesting this damage occurred in antiquity. The seal die (in negative) is inscribed within a border, + [S]’ WALT[…]FL WILL DE LAhE. This may refer to Walter son of William of an unknown location. The centre of the die has a design that appears to show curled ribbons around a central stalk, possibly a feather or flower. The reverse of the seal matrix is decorated with a raised flower moulding with eight petals arranged around a central dot. The lead to the die face is dark grey, with the carved inscription showing as yellow. The reverse is creamy white with patches of mid grey where the original surface is missing. A crack now runs through the centre of the matrix. Parallels for this style of seal can be found in Harvey and McGuinness 1996, A Guide to British Medieval Seals, page 85, figure 77.
Class:
personal
Sub class: man
Inscription:
+ [S]’ WALT[…]FL WILL DE LAhE
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: 3.4 mm
Weight: 14.4 g
Diameter: 33.42 mm
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Other reference: ID 3942
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 | 85 | figure 77 |