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The Wicklewood Rude Matrix
A seal matrix is a metal stamp, used for impressing the mark of its owner in wax onto documents. Medieval peasant farmers were usually illiterate, and yet were expected to sign a number of manorial, property, and commerce documents. They would do this through the use of a seal matrix - custom made for them, bearing their own signature mark, and often their name. Wesley has recovered several of these medieval matrixes from the plough soils of Norfolk, but, so far - this is the most interesting and unique example that he has found - the Wicklewood Rude Matrix
The Report
Wesley recovered the seal matrix while metal detecting in January 2001. He took the matrix to Norfolk Landscape Archaeology (Norfolk Museum Services) for identification and for recording. They gave it the following description in their records:
Medieval Ae Seal Matrix hexagonally facetted conical handle with pierced trefoil terminal. Circular. diam. 18.5 mm. Erect phallus with testicles; the upper end of the phallus, which points left, lies between two triangular motifs each fringed with short oblique lines along one side, representing a vulva. Two four-berried sprigs surmount the head of the phallus.
IAS.TIDBAVLCOC (James Theobald [with Coc as a diminutive, 'the Little'])
Late 13th/early 14th century
The recording officer also added some notes to the identification:
- IAS = Jas, shortening for James, in Latin, Jacobus.
- Tidbaul, Tibbard, Tebbet (and many other spellings) are medieval versions of Theobald.
- Coc, Cock, Kok are endings which denote a diminutive, a pet name for a little person or young person. The best known examples being Wilcok(s) (little William) and Simcock(s) (little Simon).
- The 'obscene illustration is clearly a play on the words ball (baul) cock (coc).
Although the medieval mind must have been rather different from ours - its tempting to imagine that around 700 years ago, a small built peasant (who perhaps suffered from poor nutrition as a child) named James or Jacob, shared a joke with his friends in the Medieval Norfolk community of Wicklewood, when he showed off his new, very personalised seal. We can share that joke today, thanks to Wes and his Tesero.