Image: SUSS-282956MedievalPapalBullaBonaface (FindID 442624)

Description: English: A complete cast lead alloy Papal bulla of Bonifatius IX (1389-1404). The obverse depicts the heads of St. Paul and St. Peter facing each other with a sceptre in between them. The two heads are surrounded by a semi-circular border of pellets, which then connects to a larger pelleted border around the perimeter of the entire bulla. The legend above the busts reads SPASPE. The reverse depicts the name of the Pope. The legend reads :BONI/FATIVS/ PP:VIIII (written in three lines). This name refers to Bonifatius IX (1389-1404 AD). The lead is now whitish-grey in colour. Ribbon holes can be clearly seen at the top and bottom. The bulla measures 37.3 mm in diameter, 4.8 mm thick, and weighs 44.73 grams. Papal bullae are lead seals which were attached to documents known as bulls, issued by the Papacy. For a close example on the database, cf. SUSS-2F1195; subsequently published in Sussex Archaeological Collections No. 145 (Medieval Seal Matrices and Papal Bullae from Sussex, 2003-2007. Author: Liz Andrews-Wilson and Christopher Wittick).
Title: SUSS-282956MedievalPapalBullaBonaface
Credit: https://finds.org.uk/database/ajax/download/id/329276 Catalog: https://finds.org.uk/database/images/image/id/329276 Artefact: https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/442624
Author: Sussex Archaeological Society, Stephanie Smith, 2011-05-25 15:29:20
Permission: Attribution-ShareAlike License
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0
License: CC BY-SA 2.0
License Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
Attribution Required?: Yes