Roman Post Office....

[galba68]

Roman seal box...

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=roman seals&srsltid=AfmBOopcNl7A-bz5RL4ChWYJ7rW1yl2f5XtGeayIXpI_WbvPbXPvMTky

 

[Heliodromus]

Interesting - I'd never heard of these.

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

A case for important documents? How cool is that?

[galba68]

1 hour ago, Ancient Coin Hunter said:

A case for important documents? How cool is that?

How it worked...

 

[ominus1]

...neat artifact G681 🙂

[CPK]

Wow, that is so cool!

[galeriusmaximinus]

In the past years, especially after the publication of Colin Andrews in 2012 on the “Roman seal-boxes in Britain” (BAR British Series 567), the knowledge of these very interesting objects has significantly improved.

Colin argued convincingly that “no seal-box has yet been found in secure association with a wooden writing tablet” (also the example in the Leiden museum often said to be found in Egypt together with the writing tablet is likely only acquired together but not really found together). The find spots of writing tables and of styli in Britain do not overlay with the find spots of seal boxes. Also, for pure practical reasons it is not practical to staple writing tables for postal services and have seal boxes attached to them. The shape of boxes and the lay-out of the holes does not fit such attachment. It makes no sense.

When looking at seal boxes you will normally find 2-4 holes in the bottom (depending on size and shape) and 2 holes in the sides.

Based on experimental research and also analyzing seal boxes with still remains of wax and cord within them Colin Andrews found that seal-boxes were rather attached to bags (stitched to them through the holes in the bottom) and then closed with a cord around the bag through the holes in the side. The wax would safeguard the knot in the seal-box and the lid could safeguard the seal-impression. Heating the wax and detaching the cord would allow to open the bag (the seal boy still attached to it but ready for reuse). Such bags would have likely contained valuables or coins. Noting that two seal boxes were found within the famous gold aurei hoard in Trier. Attachment to bags seems thus to have been the main purpose for Roman seal boxes.  A picture of an exhibit in Colin's book displaying how a seal box was attached to a bag is attached.

Seal boxes are found in many shapes, sizes, and materials. We know e.g. of examples in gold (exceptionally rare), silver (very rare), bronze (common), ivory (rare). Roman seal-boxes are dated mostly from 1^st century B.C. to 3^rd century A.D. Then it seems that the lead sealings took over the main purpose/role of seal-boxes and they disappear. Most common are Roman seal-boxes from the 2^nd and 3^rd century in bronze with decoration often in enamel.

Attached some pictures of a decorated bronze seal box from different angles and a group photo of seal boxes in different shapes and decorations from my collection. 

Most interesting to me is a serious of small “boat shaped” seal-boxes from the Flavian time which depict imperial portraits, gods, and images connected to imperial propaganda (triumph / victory). The images on these seal-boxes are rather close to that known from coins and the craftmanship is outstanding. These are however fairly rare with maybe less than 100 known from this series. I plan to publish on these once time allows.  

Show any seal boxes you may have.

 

[mr. wiggles]

What a fascinating and ingenious little device! 
 

Are there pictures of how the lead seals would have been used? On documents, or bags or other?

 

Thanks.