Seal boxes from the Viminacium site

Abstract

Bronze seal boxes that had the function of holding the wax seal on the Viminacium site - Upper Moesia (Stari Kostolac, Serbia), mainly from the area of the necropolis (ten were found in the graves and ten at the cemetery between the graves). Six are from buildings that had a storage function, five are from public facilities - an amphitheatre, and only one find is from the military fort of the legion VII Claudia, which was stationed in Viminacium in the second half of the 1st century. Thirty-two seal boxes have been processed: nine whole, six with fragmented upper and lower parts, seven bases and ten covers. Seal boxes consist of two parts: the cover and the base. The cover is decorated with figural images, concentric rings and especially with applied ornaments. Some of the motifs are filled with enamel. The base always has three to five circular perforations at the bottom, the side walls are a height of 4 to 5 mm with two opposed notches or slots which are thought to have facilitated the tying of the seal box to a package or a document. The lock mechanism is operated using the hinges principle. Some specimens have a circular extension on the cover with a thorn on the bottom. This fits the hollow in the base, through which passes a thorn for the additional fixing of the cover. Based on shape and decoration, seal boxes were classified into five types: I - elliptical or oval shaped with a figural representation on the cover derived in relief; II/1 - leaf or heart-shaped with a special, riveted ornament; II/2 - leaf or heart-shaped with enamel on the cover; III/1 - circular showing a form in relief; III/2 - circular with cast concentric rings, with no enamel; III/3 - circular with concentric rings with enamel on the cover; IV - diamond shaped with enamel on the cover and V - square with enamel on the cover. The seal boxes dominate chronologically from the first half of the 2nd and throughout the 3rd century.