Seal (emblem)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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A seal can be a wax seal bearing an impressed figure, or an embossed figure in paper, with the purpose of authenticating a document, but the term can also mean any device for making such impressions or embossments, essentially being a mould that has the mirror image of the figure in counter-relief, such as mounted on rings known as signet rings. This article is concerned with devices and methods for making such imprints.
If the imprint is made as a relief resulting from the greater pressure on the paper where the high parts of the seal touch, the seal is known as a dry seal; in all other cases a liquid or liquified medium (such as ink or wax) is used, usually in another color than the paper's.
For legal purposes, the definition of seal may be extended to include rubber stamps, or writing specified words ("seal" or "L.S.").
Sigillography is the term used for the study of seals.
See also
- Bulla (seal), a lump of clay molded around a cord and stamped with a seal
- Cylinder seal
- Seal of Dartmouth College, used by Dartmouth College of Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.
- Great Seal
- Great Seal of the Realm, a British institution for authorising the monarch's official documents a personal signature
- Great Seal of Scotland allows the monarch to authorise documents without signing
- Great Seal of France, used to authenticate constitutional documents of the French Republic
- Imperial Seal of Japan, called 菊の御紋 in Japanese, meaning "Noble Symbol of Chrysanthemum"
- Great Seal of the United States used since 1782 to authenticate some documents issued by the United States government
- Great Seal of Northern Ireland
- Great Seal of Canada
- Privy Seal, of England can be traced back to the reign of King John
- Lord Privy Seal or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state in the United Kingdom
- Knights Templar Seal used to validate documents approved by the order
- Manu propria
- Rubber stamp
- Security Seal
- Seal (East Asia)
- Seal of Solomon, a legendary magical signet ring said to have belonged to King Solomon
- Seals of the U.S. states
- Sigillography
- Signature
- State seal