Seal Matrix
1340-1380 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This matrix or die depicts the royal arms of king Edward III. It is the only surviving half of a pair of dies which would have made up a double-sided seal. Here the softened wax would have been sandwiched between the two dies and pressed into the surfaces by means of a seal-press, resulting in a seal impression decorated on front and back.Seal impressions made of wax were attached to written documents to authenticate them, just as a signature does today.
The seal is likely to have been used in a governmental capacity, but the exact use of this matrix cannot be identified without its missing pair, which would have revealed its specific function. It may have functioned as a customs seal, to indicate that tax had been paid on goods passing in and out of the country. One side of the seal represented the arms of the monarch (like this example), the other the location of the customs port.
The seal is likely to have been used in a governmental capacity, but the exact use of this matrix cannot be identified without its missing pair, which would have revealed its specific function. It may have functioned as a customs seal, to indicate that tax had been paid on goods passing in and out of the country. One side of the seal represented the arms of the monarch (like this example), the other the location of the customs port.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Bronze, engraved |
| Brief description | Bronze Seal of Edward III, made in England, 14th century |
| Physical description | Bronze matrix of a seal of Edward III (1312-1377). Engraved with a shield bearing the arms of France and England flanked by two palm branches and surrounded by an inscription. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | S(igillum) EDWARDI REGIS ANGLIE ET FRANCIE
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| Object history | Purchased in 1905 for £8 pounds Historical significance: Heraldic devices appeared on seals from the end of the 12th century onwards. This seal depicts the arms of England (the three lions) and France (the Fleur de Lys), signifying the authority of Edward III as King of these countries. The arms upon this seal were also intended to legitimise the rule of Edward III through royal ancestry. The three lions of England, first used in the arms of Richard I (1157-1199), continued to be used in the arms of his decendants as a symbol of the House of Plantagenet and of royal authority. The fleur-de-lys had long been used by French Kings as a sign of their royal position. Edward III incorporated this ancestral device into his coat of arms to promote his legitimacy as King of France. |
| Historical context | This seal matrix or die is one half of a pair (the other now lost). A double-sided seal was often used to authenticate goods or documents, one side would show the arms of the monarch, the other a unique image indicating the function. It is possible that this matrix is part of a customs seal. Whilst this side bears the arms of Edward III, the other matrix would have depicted the seal for a certain port. Another possibility is that the seal was used for the delivery of wool and hides, however these seals usually indicated the locality on the obverse. The matrix is a late example of the use of the rounded lombardic lettering before the introduction of black letter. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This matrix or die depicts the royal arms of king Edward III. It is the only surviving half of a pair of dies which would have made up a double-sided seal. Here the softened wax would have been sandwiched between the two dies and pressed into the surfaces by means of a seal-press, resulting in a seal impression decorated on front and back.Seal impressions made of wax were attached to written documents to authenticate them, just as a signature does today. The seal is likely to have been used in a governmental capacity, but the exact use of this matrix cannot be identified without its missing pair, which would have revealed its specific function. It may have functioned as a customs seal, to indicate that tax had been paid on goods passing in and out of the country. One side of the seal represented the arms of the monarch (like this example), the other the location of the customs port. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1097-1905 |
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| Record created | August 11, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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