Seal (emblem)

The Seal (from Latin sigillum, little pictures ) is a form of certification of documents or secure ( lock) the integrity of objects or containers ( envelope, door ) using a sealing stamp or, sphragistisch ( siegelkundlich ) correctly, one Typars, in a pressed soft, hardening mass (Siegel lump of sealing wax, wax, earlier sound, etc. ). Often no distinction is made as an imprint and " Seal " as an embossing tool between the concepts of "seal". For " Seal " can also be a native of the Slavic term signet ( n or f ) are used.

Terms of Use

Legally, any official "seal" unique (compared to any producible " stamps " - it behaves here as similar to the difference between flag and flag). Who can perform it, is specifically regulated. The seal has been broken, the unauthorized destruction of a seal that was attached by a public authority, a public official or other official, is punishable in Germany ( § 136 para 2 of the Criminal Code ). An unusable Seal an authority may only be destroyed with the assistance of a witness and a corresponding protocol.

Historical

The earliest stamp seals are not detectable Halaf period in the Middle East prior to Tell. Cylinder seals are first BC is in the Uruk IV layer in Sumer 3200-3100. These are small stone cylinder ( seal stones ) made of onyx, lapis lazuli, agate or other materials, engraved with figures and inscriptions (so-called seal engraving ) were. The size varies range 0.15 to 10 centimeters. By the rolling of the cylinder in a soft material ( for example, clay ) is formed of the seal-imprint characteristic. Around the same time emerged between 1600 BC and 1500 BC in Ancient Egypt, in Ugarit and among the Hittites to the seal rings, the sealing ring in Mesopotamia was not in use.

Clay seal impressions are out of the Sumerians, Assyrians and Babylonians ( cylinder seal ) also found later among the Greeks and Romans, who later took over the rulers of the early Middle Ages.

Siegel initially led individual personalities, and later bodies. Imperial seal, there was already in Byzantium from the 6th century, Pope seal since the 9th century. In the early and high Middle Ages sealed emperors, kings, members of the nobility and the clergy High. From about the 13th century also made citizens from this type of authentication used. Seal spiritual corporations are since the 11th century, cities Seal since the beginning of the 12th century ( 1113 Trier, Cologne 1149 ) to find.

Metal seal, called bulls, were of gold, lead, or (more rarely) of silver. They were the Holy Roman Empire mainly reserved for special documents, political and constitutional significance to the popes (see Golden Bull of Charles IV ) or the Byzantine emperors. Lead cops were mostly solid, gold bulls, however, almost never. It was rather assembled gold plates, which were filled with various materials (wax, sawdust, etc.). Massive Gold bulls were known only in the Byzantine area and in the Norman Kingdom of Sicily.

Wax seal wore in the Middle Ages, most records and transactions of all kinds, the popes and Roman emperors and German subordinate Seal leader distinguished by colored wax seal with the following order of marking:

Red wax: emperors, kings, which also could give the right other princes, only in the case of (state law ) " Sovereign ";
Green wax: Monasteries;
White wax: a free imperial cities;
Black wax: the Patriarch of Jerusalem and the grand master of the spiritual order of knighthood; still uncommon in mourning letters.

Since the 16th century, sealing wax was used, which is more heat resistant than wax. Since the 11th century pictorial representations were used (eg, coat of arms ) in seals. Later was used in place of the wax so-called wafer ( circular white areas on the paper ) which adhered to the paper and then under a high pressure with the aid of heat ( as during the embossing ) to form a relief, the impression was formed.

The seal abuse was prevented by storage at specially set up for this purpose high officials, the Keeper of the depositories. For this aim, an office and a title was later (see Lord Privy Seal in England).

Forms of seals

Provided with a handle, a seal stamp signet is called - older signet rings. The seal itself can be pressed on the deed or pressed through a cut in the parchment. Attached seals are attached to strings of hemp, silk, other materials or parchment strips. This strip of parchment, called Pressel, were, like the cords, often pulled by a Pergamentumbug, a so-called plica to increase their retention in the parchment and prevent tearing.

Other embodiments with sealing function are stickers like the pledge seal ( commonly known as cuckoo ), which attached to vehicle license plates license disk, seals on closures and equipment seals on measuring instruments.

Examples of different seal

Seal of the University of Cologne

Large Bonn city seal

Seal of the Emperor Henry III.

Back of a Bull of Emperor Frederick II of 1246

Münzsiegel Emperor Frederick III.

Seal on nobility of Emperor Charles VI.

Seal of Kayser quarry, from 1617 onwards

Seal of John III. Straubing -Holland ( 1422 )

Seal of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order

Stamp seal: imprint of the official seal No. 57 of the town of Marburg

Special Seal

Cylinder seal - first used in Sumer
Fisherman's ring - the papal signet ring
Stamp - Official Seal of legally binding designation of documents or for closure
Signet Ring - housed in the finger ring Seal

Secretion Seal

A secretion seal, even Privy Seal, was coined as a second seal to control and as a repeated confirmation of authenticity on the back of the main seal or " Great Seal " in the Middle Ages. Originally were not legally effective only with a secretion seal provided certificates. In the late Middle Ages, but the secretion seal found then accepted use in everyday certifications and relatively unimportant duties, and were thus in the "Little Seal " on.

More technical terms

Great Seal - the main seal of a corporation that has been used for sealing important documents
Small seal - for certification of small, everyday legal transactions; emerged from the secretion Seal
Rear Seal - was marked on the back of the main seal (see secretion seal), not to be confused with the equally on both sides stamped bulls
Coat of Arms Seal - Seal schildförmigies often used with the coat of arms of the seal guide, partly as a Small seal or back seal
Community Siegel - common seal of a corporation legally affiliated or more members of a manor house
Reitersiegel - sets the seal carrier or the seal guide (ladies Reitersiegel ) to horse shows, male seal leader usually in armor and weapons
Signet - private seal, usually implemented as a ring; see also Fischer ring
Rombildsiegel - seal with a pictorial representation of the city of Rome, usually part of the bulls of kings and emperors of the medieval German empire
Gemmensiegel - seal with the characteristic imprint of a gem (often in conjunction with a signet ring ), which can be either ancient or contemporary origin; for example, as used the early Carolingian kings antique gems for sealing their records

Seal in the East Asian culture

The Chinese term for seal is Yin (印) or túzhāng (图章). The Japanese word for seal is Inkan (印鉴) or Hanko (判子). These labels are used for business and pleasure and are often more important than manuscript. In some cases only the seal is even accepted as authentication ( see Article Chinese Seal ).