English: A complete personal silver oval seal matrix containing an oval Roman jasper intaglio. The seal matrix is thirteenth or early fourteenth century (c. AD 1200 - AD c. 1350) and the intaglio is first century (AD 43 - AD 100). Length 28.5mm, width 23.4mm. Weight 9.71g. Treasure case no. 2006 T375. The matrix is oval in plan and has an integral suspension loop on the reverse. From an impression of the seal, the inscription starts at 12 o'clock where there is a cross potent and reads from right to left: SIGILL WALTERI DE LONGEDVNE (Seal of Walter of Longdown). The letter N's have reversed bars. Enclosed by the inscription is a first century AD Roman red jasper intaglio depicting Victory facing right and standing on a globe. She is draped, winged and holding a wreath in the right hand and a palm-branch in the left hand. In front of her there are a crescent moon and three stars representing eternity. The suspension loop at the top of the reverse is integral with a central mid-rib that extends to the bottom. The seal is in good condition. However, one side on the reverse is damaged and slightly distorted. The intaglio is red jasper. In its Roman context the gem, which is cut in the precise classicising style of the 1st century, most probably alludes to the eternity of Imperial Victory. Although a well educated man in the Middle Ages would no doubt have known about the Classical Victory, it must have been very tempting to re-interpret the figure as an angel, perhaps Gabriel, and the stars as the Heavens glorying in the birth of the Saviour, Christ. This should be seen not as ignorance of the Roman past but as subtle reinterpretation of a fine piece of early Roman art which in fact dates not many years after the birth of Christ.

See Henig in Adams (ed) 2008: 31, fig. 8.