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Call for historians to solve medieval seal mystery

Katy Prickett
BBC News, Norfolk
Andrew Williams/Norfolk County Council A silver medieval shield-shaped seal matrix from its front. It has writing around its edge and in its middle are three brooch-shape designs, two above the third.Andrew Williams/Norfolk County Council
The seal is inscriped "+ S' IOh'S ' DE : hEDENAM" in medieval Latin, which means the "Seal of John of Hedenham"

A treasure expert is appealing for local historians to solve a mystery around the owner of a medieval seal matrix.

The 13th or 14th Century silver matrix - used to stamp an impression on wax seals - was discovered by a detectorist in March last year near Hedenham, Norfolk,

Its inscription reveals it was the "Seal of John of Hedenham", but Norfolk's finds liaison officer Helen Geake said: "It's really difficult to find out who this person was."

"I hope someone in the village might do a bit of investigation, including looking at the lists of parish priests to find out more about him," she said.

Helen Geake, who has chin-length fair hair in a neat bob. She is smiling and her black top can just be glimpsed.
Helen Geake has found an undated deed witnessed by a John of Hedenham, but as it is undated and John was a common name, it might be a different man

The seal was found close to the village where he once lived, Dr Geake added.

"I've reached the limit of what I can do, without being a specialist in the local history of Hedenham," she said.

One source that might prove useful is the list of parish priests, but she said very few of them are put online, so it requires a visit to the church.

"Of course, he might not be a vicar, but if so, we can rule that out," she said.

Andrew Williams/Norfolk County Council Three views of a silver medieval seal matrix. The view on the left shows the front of the shield-shaped seal. It has writing around its edge and in its middle are three brooch-shape designs, two above the third. The middle view is side on, showing its edge and its suspension view. The right view is plain and shows the long tail of the suspension loop attached to the back.Andrew Williams/Norfolk County Council
The find's central motif is a shield bearing three annular brooch motifs - round brooches which were fashionable in the 13th and 14th centuries

Dr Geake has discovered a John of Hedenham witnessed a deed, but the document is undated.

If it was signed before the 13th Century or after the 14th Century, it could have an entirely different man - added to which "there are masses of Johns" in the Middle Ages, she explained.

The 23mm by 18.8mm find is only the fifth flat shield-shaped silver seal matrix to be recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database since it began in 1997.

Its owner would have used the matrix to stamp an impression on wax to authenticate documents.

Andrew Williams/Norfolk County Council An impression of a medieval seal matrix on wax. The wax is orange in colour. It shows a shield-shaped seal with writing around its edge. In its middle are three brooch-shape designs, two above the third.Andrew Williams/Norfolk County Council
A similar flat shield-shaped silver seal matrix to this one was discovered 20 miles away in south Norfolk, said Dr Geake

Dr Geake added: "It's not unusual to find medieval seals with a place name, but it's not common to find them in the very village, because it's more likely you'd lose them when you were travelling."

The find is the subject of a treasure inquest and Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery is hoping to acquire it.

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