SEAL MATRIX 149284
Description: A worn and incomplete cast copper-alloy medieval seal matrix of conical form. The slightly corroded handle seems to be hexagonally faceted. It has a collar formed of four moulded ridges, above which is a broken ?quatrefoil suspension loop. The circular die simply features a ship rendered in intaglio without any surrounding legend. Its single mast is aligned to the widest part of the suspension loop. The mast is central and surmounted by an equal-armed cross with a flag just below. The fore and aft castles are both rendered with ropes terminating just before them: one in the case of the former and two in the case of the latter. The planks of the hull are also rendered.
The ship motif seems to be an enduring one on seal matrices (e.g. Read 1988, 151-152; ref. 1024 for a 17th-century example; other post-medieval examples can be found on this database). The form of this artefact, however, is typically high to late medieval. With regard to medieval seal matrices, Irene Szymanski notes: 'designs of ships are relatively uncommon on personal matrices, but known'. One such example can be seen on this database, " IHS-CEDD31. A parallel can also be made with the ship rendered on the contemporary coins, and coin weights particularly for the 'noble' (see Withers and Withers 1995, 18-19). As such a date range of c. 1350-c. 1450 AD is suggested for this artefact. A medieval seal matrix recorded by the same finder for the same parish also depicting a ship can be found on this database, " HAMP693. Given the proximity of the sea this is perhaps not surprising.
Date: 1350 - 1450
Object type: SEAL MATRIX
Last import: August 15, 2017