Lleision ap Morgan makes an impression: seals and the study of medieval Wales

Seals are a very important source of evidence for the social, political,
economic and religious history of medieval Wales, but generally
have received little attention from scholars. Drawing on the work of
the recent Arts and Humanities Research Council- funded Seals in
Medieval Wales project, this article highlights their potential, and
explores in detail the seals used by one Welsh noble family in
Glamorgan in the context of the adoption of the seal as a means of
documentary validation in medieval Wales and sealing practices
amongst the native rulers and Anglo- Norman settlers of the late
twelfth and thirteenth centuries. In particular, it demonstrates that,
when considered in conjunction with a range of associated material,
the principal motifs employed on seals can reveal fascinating and
important insights into a rapidly changing society.