Image and Authority: Seals in Eleventh- And Twelfth-Century England

This book is the first on the history of English seals by the foremost scholar on the subject. It will be of interest not only to students of art history & archaeology, but on account of the legal, political, social and cultural insights it provides, also to general historians of the Middle Ages. The author examines the seal as evidence of the authenticity of a document, where it performs a function similar to the modern signature. He discusses the wider historical implications of the seals and considers those who commissioned the transactions, such as royal personages, the aristocracy, yeomen and traders, and the clergy - individuals as well as institutions. Each seal bears an image which served as a 'portrait' of its owner, and through the rich body of illustrations Dr Heslop demonstrates, how the visual impact of the seal was used to convey ideas about his status and authority.