Judge and jury of Jalna (Zsolna) reconciliate Martin, Simon’s son, with the craftsmen of Zarna (Zărneşti), establishing the rights and obligations for the latter.

1476, August 25

Latin in the original; parchment, hanging seal

BAR, Seal 455

The use of wax seals, however, did not begin until the Middle Ages. At first they were the exclusive purview of monarchs, bishops, and royal courts for use in issuing official decrees and authenticating documents. The use of wax seals then gradually became more democratized, spreading from aristocrats to monasteries. 

Utilized in this official capacity, seals were sometimes placed directly on the document but were most often attached in the “pendent style.” The seal was applied to a cord, ribbon, or strip of parchment and hung loose after being threaded through a hole or slot at the lower edge of the document.