File:Medieval papal bulla (FindID 183504).jpg

English: Medieval lead papal bulla of Honorius III, 1216-27. It is 37.8-38.6mm in diameter and 4.3mm thick. It weighs 46.68g. The obverse depicts St Peter and St Paul facing each other within a beaded border, and C and backwards-C beaded border joining to the main surrounds either head. On the left, St Paul has a long, pointed-oval shaped beard below a head with short vertical ribs suggesting swept-back hair (although this is rather worn). St Peter on the right has a short beard with raised dots at the base, and at the top of his head, suggesting curls. The beard is particularly defined around the mouth. The features of both faces are rather worn, perhaps because these parts were more 3D than the beard and hair decoration. Between both heads is a cross, and above both cross and heads is the inscription SPASPE abbreviation for St Paul and St Peter. On the reverse, within a beaded border, is the inscription (over three lines), HONO/RIVS/.PP.III. The patina is exceptionally smooth and almost glass-like (possibly treated?). The cord that the bull enclosed is very close to the surface on the obverse side. Papal bullae were put on official papal documents sent out from Rome (during the schism, Avignon) as a means of authentication. PP stands for pastor pastorum - meaning shepherd of the shepherds. It is thought they were carried around as some kind of amulet, and sometimes buried with the dead.