Extremely rare golden medieval seal declared a treasure

Last June, a metal detector near King's Lynn found a unique medieval seal with an engraving of an elephant carrying a "war tower" on its back. It is only the third golden seal ever recorded by the British PAS (Portable Antiquities Scheme) and at the same time the first with an depicted elephant.

Detectorist Steve Brown and his son found the seal on farmland that had been cultivated for hundreds of years, yet it was not damaged by plowing. It dates from the years 1250 to 1350, the longer side measures 28 mm, the shorter 22 mm. The gold band is lined with an oval stone with an engraved profile of an elephant walking to the right, with its trunk curled forward. It carries a "war tower" on its back, which resembles the canopy-like seat of Asian war elephants. The middle part is made of carnelian, although there are small stripes in it, typical of agate, for example. The stone with the engraving is lined with gold with inscriptions from the front part, the back seals are also gold, to which an eyelet-shaped handle is soldered.

"Very few people in medieval England could see a living elephant," said Beverley Nenk, curator of the late medieval collections at the British Museum. "The image could have been based on reports of these wonderful and exotic creatures from business travelers or pilgrims returning from the East or the Crusades. Alternatively, from descriptions and pictures in bestiaries or other manuscripts. Perhaps the connection could be traced in the royal menagerie of the Tower of London, where an elephant who was Henry III lived between 1255 and 1257. Donated to Plantagenet by King Louis IX of France, "the curator explained some indications that the seal could perhaps belong directly to the King of England.

Unfortunately, there is no name on the seal (the other golden seals are also anonymous), but it bears the inscription: "PARMAT EST ‧ WEVEI ‧ DRA OBEST". This is a rather vague saying that can also be interpreted as a warning against a dangerous dragon. The connection between the elephant and the inscription is also shrouded in mystery. It could be a reference to the idea commonly expressed in medieval bestiaries that dragons are the only natural enemies of elephants.

In medieval heraldry, elephants symbolized power, wisdom and courage. Because they were associated with the Eastern rulers, the elephants in the coat of arms could refer to victory or success in the battles in the East. The war tower on the elephant's back was associated with royalty and warfare. Christian iconography used the elephant as a symbol of Christ's redemption of fallen humanity.

The written text is typical of the 13th century, the style of execution, compared to other stone seals, coincides with the beginning of the 14th century. It is not clear whether the engraving itself is medieval. It could have been much older, because in the Middle Ages, ancient engraved stones and gems were often used again in newer ones in seals and jewelry.

According to the Treasury Act of 1996, the coroner will determine the status of the finding at the end of the month. Because the seal is made of more than 10% precious metals and is over 300 years old, it will most likely be officially declared a treasure. The British Museum Committee of Experts will then assess its market value. Local museums will be given the first opportunity to buy the find, while according to the custom, half will be found by the finder and the other part by the landowner. The Norwich Museum has already expressed a desire to obtain a seal for its collection.

Roman Němec

Sources: thehistoryblog.com, edp24.co.uk, bbc.com