Abstract: In medieval society seals used to be important instruments, bearing a wide range of applications. Closer attention is usually paid to their connection to documents with legal content. When attached to charters and letters they fulfilled several functions such as authenticating, authorizing and enclosing them. Researchers usually do not pay as much attention to other uses of seals that have no direct connection to written documents. In the Early Middle Ages, seals were also used for court summons and for sealing the wounds during ordeals. In the Late Middle Ages, we know of their application for property protection against unauthorized manipulation. Seals used to safeguard cases with seal matrices, money or insignia as well as reliquaries. This study introduces the ways seals had been used based on written legal, diplomatic and narrative sources from specific periods.

Authors: Glejtek, Miroslav

DOI: 10.17846/CL.2022.15.1.11-23

Publication order reference: doc. PhDr. Ing. Miroslav Glejtek, PhD.; Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Faculty of Arts, Department of History, Hodžova 1, 949 74 Nitra, Slovakia; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5267-593X, WOS Researcher ID: AAP-6140-2020, SCOPUS Author ID: 57191337638

Source: Konštatínove listy, 2022, vol.: 15, issue: 1, pages: 11-23 (PDF file)

Keywords: SEAL, MIDDLE AGES, HUNGARIAN KINGDOM, COURT, PROPERTY PROTECTION, COMMUNICATION

Language: ENGLISH