File:Lead Papal Bull, obverse (FindID 74349).jpg

English: Lead Papal Bulla dating to 14th century. These seals were used on official papal documents sent out from Rome as a means of authentication. The use of these seals was at its peak in the late 14th - early 15th century. Papal bullae were attached to documents (bulls) with a ribbon of parchment or thread of hemp and later, coloured silk thread was used to correspond with the status of the document. This thread would run through the centre of the seal and this example has broken in half along this weak point. The obverse would have originally shown both the busts of Saint Paul and Saint Peter within a vesica shaped beaded border with the abbreviation SPASPE written above but only the half with St. Peter remains intact; he had a crimped beard and curly hair. The reverse of the bull has a beaded border with only half the inscription remaining. This reads: C[LE]/ME[NT]/PP[...] on three lines (probably) for Clement VI who ruled between 1342-1352. There is a small five-petalled flower preceeding the 'C' and the 'P' on the top and bottom lines of the inscription. PP stands for pastor pastorum 'shepherd of the shepherds'. The seal weighs 17.16g and measures 37.5mm in diameter and 4.5mm in thickness.