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Medieval seal with Roman chariot intaglio found in Essex
A rare medieval silver seal set with a Roman intaglio of biga — a racing chariot with two horses — has been found in Essex. Based on comparisons to other biga intaglios, the gemstone dates to the late 1st century B.C. or early 1st century A.D. It was set in silver and converted into a seal between 1200 and 1400.
The rich red carnelian stone is engraved with two finely detailed horses at trot. They pull a small chariot with a charioteer at the reigns holding a long whip. The silver bezel around the gemstone is engraved in reverse letters (so it could be read correctly when stamped) with an inscription reading ‘+SECRETVM . RICARDI’ which literally translates to “Richard’s secret” but a more accurate interpretation is “Richard’s private seal.” This phrasing has been found in other seals from the period, including ones set with a reused Roman intaglio.
Seals that had Roman gemstones set in them were typically used as privy or counter-seals rather than as the official seals intended for administrative documents. There is a significant variety in the quality of the intaglios. The older ones, like this biga carnelian of Augustan manufacture, were more prized, and were usually bought by people of wealth and rank who had them set in their private seals. More recent intaglios dating to the 2nd-4th centuries tended to be less finely crafted pieces discovered by accident by people farming the land. The landowner would then have it set in a seal.
This example was discovered by a metal detectorist in Gosfield last September. It has been declared treasure and will be offered to a local museum for the assessed value. If there are no takers, the finder gets to reclaim it.
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