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'Elephant and castle' gold seal bought by museum

Katy Prickett
BBC News, Norfolk
Andrew Williams/Norfolk County Council Three views of an oval medieval seal matrix, made from gold and a semi-precious gemstone. The view on the left shows its front. Its thin gold rim is etched with carved letters and surrounds the oval pink-toned gemstone, which is carved with an elephant with a castle or howdah on its back. The view in the middle is side on, showing a gold rim and a loop on its back. The view on the right shows plain gold back with a narrow gold rim and the loop at the top side. Andrew Williams/Norfolk County Council
The seal matrix dates to between 1250 and 1350, a period covered by the reigns of Henry III, Edward I, Edward II and Edward III

An unusual medieval gold seal with a gemstone engraved with an elephant carrying a castle on its back has been added to a museum's collection.

Discovered by a metal detectorist near King's Lynn, Norfolk, and declared treasure in 2021, it was only the third of its kind recorded by the British Museum.

The find has now been acquired by Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery and more information about it has been revealed thanks to a medieval French expert who was able to translate its inscription, initially believed to be in Latin.

County finds liaison officer Helen Geake said: "We couldn't make head nor tale of it, but Malcom Jones suggested it was a rhyming couplet in French."

Andrew Williams/Norfolk County Council An oval medieval seal matrix on its side, made from gold and a semi-precious gemstone. Its thin gold rim is etched with carved letters and surrounds the oval pink-toned gemstone, which is carved with an elephant with a castle or howdah on its back. Andrew Williams/Norfolk County Council
It measures 28mm by 22mm (1.1in x 0.8in) and its gemstone was probably carnelian

The inscription around its circumference reads PARMAT EST ‧ WEVEI ‧ DRA OBEST.

Mr Jones said its most likely reading was 'By my head, you have dragon or beast'.

"He explained 'by my head' was a relatively common exclamation, meaning something like 'upon my soul'," said Dr Geake.

"The inscription could be linked to the engraving because in medieval bestiaries, the dragon is described as the elephant's only foe."

Andrew Williams/Norfolk County Council An impression in white wax of an oval seal matrix. It shows a narrow band on its circumference which is inscribed with letters. Its middle shows a portly-looking elephant with broad legs and tail and a trunk. On its back is a castle or howdah.Andrew Williams/Norfolk County Council
Once pressed into wax, a clear impression was created of the elephant and the inscription surrounding it

Bestiaries were beautifully illustrated manuscripts, like medieval encyclopedias, and are believed to have inspired JK Rowling's Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them.

However, each creature listed was described in terms of its place within the Christian worldview, rather than as a purely scientific phenomenon.

Dr Geake said: "We often forget French is the language of court and chivalry in medieval England and I've always liked rhyming couplets, it remind me of pantos.

"It's also a reminder of how rich medieval culture is and how much is lost - this is a hint about what we don't know."

Helen Geake who is smiling. She has light brown hair cut in a bob and a black top can just be glimpsed.
The law says all finders of gold and silver objects or coins more than 300 years old must be reported to a county finds liaison officer, which in Norfolk is Helen Geake

Few people in medieval England would have seen a live elephant, although there was one in the royal menagerie at the Tower of London between 1255 and 1257 - a gift from King Louis IX of France to King Henry III.

The seal matrix would have been used by its owner to make an impression on wax to authenticate or keep closed letters or documents.

The design - showing an elephant with a war-tower or howdah on its back - later became known as the elephant and castle of heraldic iconography.

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