MEDIEVAL SEAL MATRIX

1150

A complete medieval pointed-oval (vesica-shaped) seal matrix, pointed-oval and flat. The reverse has a median rib running between the points of the oval, with a loop with a circular perforation at one end. There are some grooves running down either side of the median rib, possibly filing marks from finishing the object after casting. The front contains the engraved design which would have been imprinted in use on a seal (for a description of the use of seal matrices see Cherry 1997). The engraving is clear and well preserved.There is a heavily recessed central design and a legend around. The central design is (in reverse) a bird facing right, pecking at its breast with one wing outstretched, over a nest of three young birds, facing right, with beaks raised. There appears to be a star below the nest.The legend reads +S' TOME FILISWANIL. There is a possible lightly engraved letter after the L, perhaps a T. The initial mark, a cross, is below the loop on the reverse of the seal matrix.There are beaded pointed-oval borders outside both the legend and the central design. The seal matrix is 32.8mm long, 21.6mm wide, with a mass of 7.34g. It is 2.3mm thick excluding the suspension loop and the median rib. The loop has an inner diameter of 2.9mm. The seal matrix has a well developed green patina, with some lighter green pitting also evident. Some areas of the original surface (including parts of the legend) have been lost but the seal matrix is in good condition overall.Tonnochy (1952, p. xxvi) states that where the legend indicates its owner, the usual formula is the word sigillum or secretum followed by the name and designation of the owner in the genitive case. He adds that restrictions of space led to abbreviations, with sigillum often abbreviated to "S", and the cutting off of final letters. This is usually indicated by the presence of abbreviation marks, such as the apostrophe.The central design is a pelican in its piety, pecking at its breast to feeding its young with its own blood. This was a symbol of Christ's sacrifice, and has been recorded on a number of medieval seal matrices (e.g. see PAS record IHS-6720D3). Cherry (1997, 124) states that: "There was a widespread fashion among all classes for sealing, from the late twelfth to the fourteenth century." He adds (ibid., p128) 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, fleurs-de-lys or religious subjects, and the owners' names.The inscription, despite being clear and easy to read, is harder to interpret. TOME is presumably a mis-spelling of THOME and means Thomas. FIL, or FILI, are common abbreviations for FILII (son of), leaving us with Swanil (or possibly Swanilt) as the parent. Reaney and Wilson, under the entry for Swannell, show that a surname can derive from the Old Norse name Swanhild, so this is probably a rare case of a matronymic surname (derived from the mother) - the seal of Thomas son of Swanhild.The seal matrix described in this record is likely to date from the late twelfth century to the fourteenth century.