Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman small finds

CATEGORY 7: OBJECTS USED FOR OR ASSOCIATED WITH WRITTEN
COMMUNICATION
SEAL-BOXES
The method of use of seal-boxes is illustrated in
Wheeler 1930, fig 33. Briefly, a seal-box served to
protect the (often impressed) lump of wax which held
together the bindings of a packet or writing tablet.
Most seal-boxes have enamelled lids and
consequently seem to belong to the 2nd or 3rd
century. Similarities of design can occasionally be
traced between enamelled plate brooches and sealbox
lids (Henderson 1949, 124, no 75). The boxes
catalogued here can be divided into four groups
according to shape. The enamelled Types 2, 3 and 4
probably date to the 2nd or 3rd century. There is some
likelihood that seal-boxes ceased to be manufactured
in the late 3rd century (ibid). All the boxes are of
copper alloy except where stated otherwise.
Type 1 (Fig 106; 2516-2517). Acorn-shaped.
Unfortunately, the one example definitely belonging
to this type was found in a post-Roman context. The
base of a seal-box probably of the same type (2516)
derives from a context dated 61 to c 75, but this
evidence is clearly insufficient to allow the type to be
positively dated to the second half of the 1st century.
A parallel has not been found.
2517 Fig 106 SF BKC 2578(C), H14 L2. Topsoil. Post-Roman. A
seal-box with a hinged lid held in place between two lugs by
a copper-alloy rivet. The lid has a central transverse groove
and moulding. A line of punched dots runs along the groove
and the moulding is marked by shallow knurling. Rows of
punched dots decorate both the upper and lower halves of
the lid. The design resembles an acorn (pendant in the
figure). The inner part of the base has worn away. Length
28.0mm, maximum width 15.0mm, height 6.5mm.
Type 2 (Fig 106; 2518-2521). Round. Two lids of
this type survive, one apparently plain (2518), one
enamelled.
2521 Fig 106 SF BKC 4526, T40 F19. Postpit. Period 5b. Around
enamelled seal-box lid. The Champlevé enamel decoration
consists of an outer band of ?blue enamel in which are set
eight green eyes and an inner roundel of green enamel. The
corrosion at the centre of this roundel probably conceals
either an eye in a contrasting enamel or a small copper-alloy
boss. The two lugs that formed the hinge between the base
and the lid of the box are still fixed to the lid. Diameter
22.0mm, thickness (not at the centre) 2.0mm.
Type 3 (Fig 106; 2522). Square. The elaborately
decorated example of this type undoubtedly belongs
to the 2nd-century floruit of enamelling.
2522 Fig 106 SF BKC 3462(C), J254 F283. Pit. Periods 5c/6. A
large seal-box decorated with both Champlevé and mosaic
enamel. The colours here described are not always certain
since enamels can change colour as they decay and are also
discoloured by adjacent corroding metal. The lid is divided by
copper-alloy walls into five strips of colour, from left to right
green, red, white, red, blue. The two red strips are plain, the
central white strip contains five mosaic enamel eyes, three
of black set round yellow, one of red set round ?blue, and one
damaged eye. This latter eye was probably also red set round Fig 106 Sea/boxes (1:1)
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