A medieval gemstone seal from Norfolk

I recently posted about a medieval seal ring with a Roman gemstone cameo that had been found at Fishlake near Doncaster and had been purchased for the city museum collection. That post can be seen at A thirteenth century ring from Fishlake in Yorkshire

I now see that a seal not dissimilar in appearance has been found near Kings Lynn and has been acquired for the Norfolk Museums service. Like so many such objects It was found by a metal detectorist. Dated to the period 1250-1350 the pendant seal is again a red gemstone  carved with the image of an elephant and castle and set in a gold frame with an inscription.

The report can be seen at King's Lynn elephant and castle seal find joins museum collection

As with the Fishlake ring such seals are a reminder of the striking items that at least some mediaeval people wore, and the need and desire to have a distinctive seal to authenticate letters and documents. Whatever the literacy of the individual owner they required such seals to authenticate items sent or issued in their name.

I have speculated in previous posts about fines from this part of Norfolk about weather they could have been owned by pilgrims to Walsingham or by people engaged in the important trading networks that flow through Kings Lynn and along the roads and waterways of East Anglia in the mediaeval centuries. That we will never know unless a document bearing the seal impression where to be found which might indicate its owner and something of their life. Even so it is one more link to the past and it is good to see that it will be available to public view in the museum.