Seal Matrix

13th Century Bronze Matrix Size: 45mm Found 1999 Used with sealing wax to ensure privacy and authenticity to documents. They are found most commonly in lead and bronze but they can be made of silver, ivory and jet. Seal matrices are usually circular, vesica shaped or shield shaped and are carried by suspension through loops either on top or on the back of the object. Many are found broken or bent in half and it is thought this could well have been deliberate on the death of an individual to stop anyone else using the matrix rather like cutting up a modern credit card.