Tuesday, September 29, 2020

A Rare Medieval Seal Matrix

 Women had more rights in the Middle Ages than most people realize. From Ancient Origins:

Sometimes a small archaeological find can provide really important insights into our past. A metal detectorist found a tiny artifact that belonged to women who lived in the 14th century in Britain. A medieval seal matrix was found and it is helping researchers to understand the life of a woman from a noble family who lived 700 years ago.

The medieval silver seal matrix was found by a metal detectorist in Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, in the south of England in April 2019. Detectorists have uncovered many artifacts in Britain in recent years. The finder brought the discovery to the attention of the local coroner’s office, which is required by law. ‘Buckinghamshire assistant coroner Alison McCormick declared it treasure,’ according to the BBC.

The oval object is made out of solid silver. According to archaeologist Anni Byard, a small finds expert with Oxford Archaeology South, the condition of the artifact is “not far-off-perfect.” The item is a seal matrix and it measures 1.2 x 0.8 inches (30.48 x 20.32 millimeters).

A seal matrix is also known simply as a seal and is a device that makes impressions on material such as wax and clay. In the medieval period, they were very common and used to seal letters and official documents. They were specially made so that individuals could authenticate a document or letter. (Read more.)

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