Seals in Medieval London, 1050-1300: A Catalogue (London Record Society: Extra Series) - Hardcover

He reaches well beyond the previously explored ranks of the elites and the corporate institutions to introduce in a substantial way the visual world of a medieval urban community for the first time in the historiography of British sigillography. SPECULUM

The scholarly community therefore owes an enormous debt of gratitude to John McEwan for compiling this catalogue of seals employed in and around London before c.1300. Its greatest glory resides in the photographs: 2,000 of them.. McEwan has supplied both a magnificent resource and a spur to future effort. HISTORY

Seals were not just a functional device; they were used as tools of authentication, validation, and security - and provided a means for both individuals and corporate identites to represent themselves. The seals gathered here, in this lavishly-illustrated guide and catalogue (the first substantial volume to be devoted to the seals of a medieval urban community), are representative of those that survive from London from the period c.1050 - c.1300; they are drawn from some of the most important and significant collections, including the National Archives, the London Metropolitan Archives, and the archives of Saint Bartholomew's Hospital. Colour images of the seals themselves are accompanied by detailed descriptions, while an extensive index serves as an invaluable tool for the navigation of the complex personal nomenclature of the period.

Dr John McEwan is a post-doctoral researcher at the Center for Digital Humanities at Saint Louis University, Missouri.