Roman seal boxes: how were they used?

[Caballo]

Found this article http://www.ukdfd.co.uk/pages/roman-seal-boxes.html , and found myself still struggling.



How were these seal boxes used and has anyone made a workable reconstruction?

Cheers

[jvrjenivs]

Markus Neidthard made some reproductions
[url:bcm05pcz]http://www.replik-shop.de/Replicas/Romans/Schreibzubehoer:::1_6_9.html[/url]

Didn't try them myself, but it is on my list to try, but I've to admit I'm also interest in there working mechanism.

[Iagoba]

They have got holes in the bottom (cannot add images currently, so you´ll have to find photos of open boxes). You write the wax tablet, close it, and put a string around, all ends going through the holes of the box. You then tie it, pour melt wax inside, and press your ring against it. The box protects the seal but allows the inspection.

The wax seal purpose is the same as the boxless ones: you cannot open the tablets without breaking either the string, the seal or both, thus making clear that the message has been intercepted.

I know of a pair of wax tablets with a hollow for the box, but I can´t remember where I saw it, sorry.

[Iagoba]

The photos one has got lateral holes, or at least one can be seen.

(sorry for the way I´m writing this, it´s the problem of writing from a jack-of-all-trades gadget...)

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

No problems. I could see the lateral holes, was wondering where the vertical(so to speak) were.

[markusaurelius]

The bottom of that sealbox has holes as do others. I would suspect that the side holes simply allow the cord to run out the sides as well as through the bottom of the seal box.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Thanks, thats interesting.

[Caballo]

Thanks- assuming that these were reusable ,what wax would work? If I were to use modern sealing wax, it would very difficult ton remove and reuse ( I think) . But would beeswax hold an impression and be secure ? I'm sure someone has tried this--any tips as to what wax to use?
Cheers
Caballo

[Iagoba]

"modern" sealing wax is a mix of different substances to make it harder and more resistant to temperature. The Middle Ages seals I have seen, if not of lead, it was clearly beewax, usually in natural colour, so I suppose that Romans used it too.

[Caballo]

Thanks - I suppose another alternative would be claybthatbwould naturally harden- any results from mineral examination of seal boxes?

[zakhx150]

Further reading on seal boxes:

Bateson, J. D., 1981, Enamel-working in Iron Age, Roman and Sub-Roman Britain, Br. Archaeol. Rep. British Series 93, (Oxford).

and Tongue, G., 2004. 'Seal boxes from Britain: A morphological review' Lucerna 27, 23-41,

[zakhx150]

Thanks - I suppose another alternative would be claybthatbwould naturally harden- any results from mineral examination of seal boxes?

The use of clay for this venture, assuming without a tempering material, would provide a substantially more permanent seal and one, I would argue, that is un-ncessary for the purposes of sealing. Clay would seal itself to box in a much more permanent manner than when compared to wax (heating the box would, effectively, clean it) and would also provide a much more permanent fixture in the box - perhaps to such an extent as to render it a common small-find. We would certainly see seal boxes with chunks of clay stuck to the sides and through the holes at the back. As far as I am aware this is not the case and a much more organic and perishable material is more likely to have seen most common usage.

I have recently seen a second century circular seal-box from Britain that had a fitting piece of solid enamel in-situ inside it, though it had not been the source of the actual seal. Any thoughts on possible function of this would be welcomed.

[Caballo]

Good point re clay. I've done some experiments today with beeswax and a replica bronze seal ring and it works. But it would need the protection of a seal box to survive.

The seal box design also links in, I think to the raised intaglio design of many Roman rings-making it possible to easily make your mark in the beeswax. And as a relatively weak ring mounting design, it also results in the losses as found all over the Empire, for example in bath houses.

I am also told the following by a very kind person studying seal boxes:-
 
"Two seal-boxes have been found with their contents still inside. The best known one was published by Bushe-Fox in 1916, but the contents of another was analysed in 1907 by Charles Ganz and he wrote:
 
‘The bulk of the locket consists of wax; there is present also inorganic matter, chiefly iron, aluminium phosphates, further, in small quantities, copper and zinc, besides traces of calcium and magnesium sulphate’    (Ganz 1907 ,30).


Bushe-Fox J P (1916) ‘Third Report on the Excavations on the Site of the Roman Town at Wroxeter , Shropshire 1914’ Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London, No.4, London

Ganz.C (1907) '‘The Discovery of Roman Remains at Aldeburgh’ Proc of the Suffolk Inst of Archaeology Vol 13 1907 pp.27-32"


Many thanks to all. Next step is to get replica seal boxes and to do some practical experiments, I think.

Any suggestions re experiments?