File:15th century Medieval seal matrix with drinking birds motif (FindID 795221).jpg

Description:

The matrix is circular with a central motif of two birds perhed upon a chalice or bowl on a tripod facing outwards but with their heads turned towards each other, as they appear to dirnk. The legends reads: "+TIMETEDEVM⦁", which translates as 'Fear God'. The legend is not aligned with the device, being at roughly 11 o'clock. The reverse of the matrix is plain except for a shallow raised rib across the back, at one end of which wides to a D shaped suspension lug, which is broken across the loop. The matrix is a dark brown colour with some brighter colour patches on the back.

Measurements: 19mm in diameter, 4.39mm thick and 3.55g in weight.

Discussion:

The matrix is not a personal seal, but would have been purchased already inscribed (or 'off the shelf'), and represents a seal of somebody unable to commission their own personal seal. The inscription can be paralleled with a die in the collections of the National Museums & Galleries of Wales (Williams, 1993) D40, which has a central device of a stag's head and NMGW-E51BC1 which has central motif of a bird with a long beak above a crescent. Similar bird motifs are seen a number of other 'off the shelf' seals on the database @: DOR-F885C7, LVPL-F98C93 and NMS-28D41B and personalised ones such as: SWYOR-B3715A.

More anonymous non-heraldic seals bearing pious motifs and sayings become particuarly more common and smaller after 1300 (Harvey & McGuiness 1996, 88). It is therefore probable that this example comes from the 14th century. The two birds flanking/drinking from a chalice is a common christian motif seen since late antiquity and continued in use all the way through the high medieval period (Lasko 1971, 86; Sonne De Torrens 2013, 70)