Seals and Sphragistic (seal science)

 Updated: 02/10/2010

Etymological Origin

The term "seal" (German Siegel) originates from the roman "sigillum" (sign) of a diminutive of "signum" (small picture, figurine). In the 13th century "sigel" emerges in Middle High German that was either developed from the nation roman "sigillio", or borrowed direct from the roman from "sigillum" or educated from the verb "sigelen" [1].

This page:

Etymological Origin

Historical origin

Use of the seal

Sources

Historical origin

Seals have been confessed since the early cheer cultures. In the form of the rolling seals, a seal coil, already gave it him in Mesopotamia (Greek "Mesopotamía": the two river country, the large landscape is meant between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris in front Asia, in that the alto oriental Babylonian and Assurian empires resulted). Since the 8th century before Chr. the stamp seal sat down through [2].

The seal were produced from hard stone, semi-precious stone or metal [2]. Seal engraved into semi-precious stones are today in the form of signet rings employed. Wax, colorless and colored, metal served as a seal cloth and since the 16th century, sealing wax. Sealing wax consisted initially of shellac (rosin of the scarlet elimination product of the lacquering sign louse), rosin (violin bow resin which results during oil of turpentine extraction), turpentine (distilled pine resin) and dyes. Today may be employed artificial resins [2].

The seals are by means of a signet ring or a Petschaft (seal stamp) were in the warm tender seal cloth cooled down hard then. The term "Petschaft" comes from the Slovakian "pecat" and appears in the case of the Styrian Ulrich of Lichtenstein (died 1275) in "verpetschaten" (sealing). The imperial office in Prague scattered the word. From the Middle High German "shaft" resulted "petschaft" [1].

The majesty seals showed the picture of the crowned, with their providing insignias, rulers on the throne in former times. The mundane princes led a rider seal. Only later were employed coat of arms as a seal picture [2].

 

 

Use of the seal

Seals were used as recognition and legalization signs or a lock from papers before unauthorized acknowledge or corruption [2].

While the seal still had no legal importance with the Merovingians (Franconian royal sex of early Middle Ages), was it with the Carolingians (after Karl the gross, crowned 800 to the emperor, designated European dynasty) the most important and decide legalization means. Since the 9th/10ht century bishops and abbots and from the 11th/12th century too mundane princes used to seal their documents. With it got seal angled in the case with clergy and round with the mundane ones for use [2].

For lack of other better closing device engineering, letters were sealed inaccessible in former times. With introduction of the automatic stamp and postal address read machines at the letter post at the end of the 20th century, use is no more to be recommended by means of sealing wax of shut letters since the seal is destroyed by the machines.
Today may be official seal normally employed as color stamps or too as adhesive plaques (e.g. admission stamp on the vehicle sign). To emboss the seal by means of a press into the document in the case of official documents, e.g. diplomas, is it today usual.

picture of a petschaft

picture of a seal press

Sources

 [1] Kluge, Friedrich: Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschenSprache,21. Auflage, Walter de Gruyther, Berlin, New York (1975) 
 [2] Meyers Großes Taschenlexikon: B.I. Taschenbuchverlag, Mannheim,Leipzig,Wien, Zürich (1992)

 
 


© 1997-99 Hans & Elke Gueinzius 71229 Leonberg