Description

Rectangular seal with a handle bearing Coptic letters engraved in low relief. The seal ends with a small ornament.

Rectangular seals

Rectangular seals are large stamp seals measuring between 40 cm and 60 cm they have heavy perforated handles. It appears that they were used to mark the closing of the doors of granaries or to imprint heaps of flour in order to prevent theft. The majority of these rectangular seals bears the names of the proprietors or perhaps of holy personages. Some bear invocations to God.

• Marie-Hélène Rutschowscay, “Woodwork”, in The Coptic Encyclopedia, edited by Aziz Suryal Atiya, vol. 7 (New York, NY: Macmillan, 1991): 2325-2347.
• Mona Serry, ed., Bibliotheca Alexandrina: Antiquities Museum, introduction by Ismail Serageldin (Alexandria: Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Antiquities Museum, 2015): 181, 328.