File:Seal box of Roman date (FindID 552801).jpg

English: A cast copper-alloy seal box of Roman date. It is leaf-shaped or piriform with base and lid of equal form and size, joined at the back of the box by a single central hinge. The hollow base has three circular apertures on its back face and at each side there are U-shaped notches. At one end the base has an integral double lug with separately cast copper-alloy(?) bar that enables the base and lid to hinge. Projecting hemispherical knops on both base and lid at the opposite end of the object to the hinge allows the two halves to connect, a small projecting lug in the interior of the knops preventing any sideways movement. The front face of the lid has the remains of enamelled decoration comprising a large central ring and dot motif with worn red enamel in the central dot, the surrounding ring preserving no trace of any original enamelling. Towards the projecting knops is a V-shaped enamelled field that contains corroded red enamel, the front face of the knop also having a recessed field with traces of red enamel. The sides of the lid have multiple small moulded ridges or notches producing a corded effect. The entire object has worn surfaces with traces of a dark green patina. It measures 30.31mm in length, 18.45mm in width, 8.86mm in thickness/height and 10.88g in weight.

This is a complete Roman seal box. It falls into Crummy's Type 4, Leaf-shaped, seal boxes with leaf-shaped form and enamelled lids (Crummy, 1983: pp. 103-104). It is of probable 2nd to 3rd century AD date.