Medieval nautical seal captain/merchant from Sussex

Medieval nautical seal captain/merchant from Sussex

Code: 11350

£285.00 Approx $359.39, €332.56
 

This is an unusual medieval bronze seal, dating to the 12th - 13th century. The seal is cut with a depiction of an early ship, possibly a merchant vessel or carrack. Around the device is cut in an early Lombardic script "+S'WILL LA CATCOUR" (seal of William of the Cat Court, or seal of William captain of the "Court" i.e the name of the ship). The back retains the original suspension ring and would have been worn as a pendant. The style of the ship is early and I have attached some images of period European ships from the 12th and 13th centuries for comparison. The script is also early and of the Norman period. It was a find from Sussex and is unresearched.

OBJECT: Seal Matrice

CULTURE: Medieval

DATE: c. 12th - 13th century A.D.

MATERIAL: Bronze

SIZE: 30.39mm x 25.01mm x 9.02mm

WEIGHT: 9.56 grams

PROVENANCE: Found in Sussex, UK.