Lead seal, Baltic states, Riga 1400–1550

This medieval lead seal bears the coat of arms of the medieval city of Riga in present-day Latvia, in the form of a shield with two crossed keys. There is also a partially obliterated inscription between two rings of pearls, the visible part of which reads “secr” (secretum?) and “deus”. The same inscription can probably be found on the other side.

Lead seals were used as a guarantee mark for goods (often textiles) that were produced in the cities and traded both nationally and internationally.

The seal was found in 1935 during an archaeological dig at Läckö Castle in Västergötland, together with three other seals from Riga and one traced back to the northern German city of Lübeck.

Image rights: Helena Bonnevier, Ekonomiska museet - Kungliga myntkabinettet/SHM (CC BY 4.0)

Object number: 117750_HST

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