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Limestone pharmacy seal for terra sigillata, Palestine, 100-1300 CE

Terra sigillata, or ‘sealed earth’, was a clay-like soil that was believed to have medicinal qualities. It was first used on the Greek island of Lemnos in around 500 BCE. It was usually prepared into cakes and then dried. The clay was then crushed into a powder and taken with liquids or made into a paste and smeared on the body. Terra sigillata was believed to fight against a number of diseases, including plague, and was highly sought after during epidemics. To prevent fake clay tablets being sold, terra sigillatae were stamped with a seal of authenticity.

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Glossary: plague


Glossary: epidemic


Glossary: pharmacy

The preparation and medicinal dispensing of drugs.

Glossary: terra sigillata


Glossary: seal - artefact

Refers to artefact bearing monograms, writing, numbers, symbols, or designs in intaglio that are used for making an impression in relief on some soft, tenacious substance such as clay or wax. They may be flat or cylindrical, the impression made by rolling the seal over the surface. The term also refers to the impressions that have been made in wax, clay, or another soft material by the impact of a seal or other hard engraved surface. Seals are generally used to authenticate documents or for decoration.