Page 101 - Manual of Roman Everyday Writing Volume 2: Writing Equipment

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(Furger et al. 2009, 39–41). They are rare in funerary contexts. In
older publications they are sometimes identified as typical military
objects, but this has been nuanced by surveys including the finds
from non-military sites (Derks and Roymans 2002; Andrews 2012).

The distribution pattern is similar to that of wax stylus tablets and
it is still often assumed that seal boxes were used with wax tablets,
even though no direct archaeological record of this combination
is known, and no literary evidence supports this assumption (e.g.
Furger et al. 2009, 36). Research by Andrews suggests instead that

Seal box from Augusta Raurica (Switzerland) with wax filling, mid/
second half of 2nd century CE. Augusta Raurica, inv. 1980.051.
From Furger et al. 2009, 21 fig. 8. © Augusta Raurica.
Fig. 73: Types of seal boxes according to Furger et
al. 2009, 48 fig. 23. © Augusta Raurica. they were mainly used to seal money bags as is in fact confirmed
by an in situ find from Trier (Germany) and supported by finds from
Such boxes were used to protect seals from approximately 100 BCE Kalkriese (Germany) and Honley (UK) (Andrews 2013). According
and fell out of use in the late 3rd century CE (Furger et al. 2009, to Andrews and as supported by archaeological evidence, the string
47). Most finds of metal examples are from imperial times and from was wound around a leather or textile pouch and its ends were
the northwestern provinces. They are frequently found in military inserted through the small holes of the seal box, then led out
and other larger settlements and generally in contexts of trade. through the side-slots and tied. A seal could then be imprinted
In some cases, they seem to have been deposited in sanctuaries in the wax placed over the string within the box, and the box was