Repository
Corpus Sigillorum Poloniae – Materials is a repository containing information about medieval seals from the territory of Poland. It is intended to serve as the foundation for the development of a corpus of medieval Polish seals, understood as an edition of identified seals from this period related to the Polish lands. This is an open project, meaning that the data contained in this repository are constantly being supplemented. Initially, it collects information on seals already recorded in the scholarly literature, which will gradually be verified on the basis of archival, library and museum materials, as well as supplemented with descriptions of previously unpublished seals. Hence, at the current stage of work, the repository contains materials drawn primarily from earlier sigillographic publications.
Structure
The concept of the database is based on experience gained from studies on the archival description of seals [see archiwa.gov.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Opracowanie_materialow_sfragistycznych.pdf]. The presented database was created in the Omeka S system. The description modules (templates) use the CIDOC CRM ontology and the SKOS VIS knowledge representation format.
The central element of the repository is the module containing descriptions of seal matrices, understood as a set of elements engraved on the die and reproduced as impressions. Therefore, separate modules containing characteristics of the seal owners, impressions, casts and published descriptions of a given seal have been linked to a specific seal matrix. A separate module is dedicated to the characteristics of the seal holder.
It should be noted that technically, the name of the holder became the keystone integrating the names of the other description modules, enabling clear identification of linked descriptions: seal matrix, holder and representation of the matrix, i.e. descriptions of seals from publications, impressions, matrices or three-dimensional copies. (A detailed description of the module name structure can be found here)
The modules were generally constructed based on the traditional methodology for describing sigillographic materials. However, two fields require explanation due to the specificity of the tool used to create the database. In the seal matrix description module, the field "is represented by items" contains references to records in other modules (matrices, impressions, casts, descriptions from publications) that constitute representations of a given seal matrix (type). In the module containing information derived from publications, the specific field is "object type", which is intended for data on the type of sigillographic material upon which the description of the seal in the publication was based.
Detailed information on the structure of the modules can be found here.
Use
Familiarisation with the content of the repository is possible in two ways: by browsing the published records and by searching.
Browsing
In the Browsing tab, simple browsing of records is possible. For ease of use, they have been divided according to the description modules applied in the repository (i.e., descriptions of holders, seal matrices, seal descriptions taken from publications, matrices, seal impressions, seal copies). Within each set, records are arranged alphabetically based on an individual name (title). This is the basic systematisation of data. The second is the date the record was created. Within each of these systems, records can be sorted in ascending or descending order. For the seal matrix, which is the basic unit of description, sorting of material is enabled based on iconographic filters (by types), territorial filters and chronological filters. The chronological criterion refers to the dating of the creation of the matrix. These filters can be used individually (e.g., to find all seals of one type entered into the repository, or those associated with a specific territory), or they can be cross-referenced (e.g., to find seals of one type entered into the repository, associated with one territory, created in a specific century). Searching is also possible in this tab.
Searching
In the Search tab, an advanced search engine offered by the Omeka system has been installed. It enables separate searching of seal matrices as well as records concerning holders, information taken from publications, matrices, impressions and copies based on a similar set of criteria. This type of search, in addition to full-text search (for technical reasons, separate for seal matrices and the other modules), allows searching based on classes (characterising individual modules (description templates)) and properties (characterising the content of individual description fields) derived from the CIDOC CRM and SKOS VIS ontologies.
Search by value consists of three selectors. The first is a list of properties characterising the content of individual description fields (e.g., holder name, chancery type of seal, author of description, etc.). The second selector allows the user to specify the desired relationship between the selected property and the specified value (these include: is exactly/is not exactly, contains/does not contain, etc.). The last element is a text field where the value that the searched property should possess can be entered.
Search by class involves searching records based on classes assigned to individual description modules. The CRM Entity class has been assigned to the description modules for matrices, impressions and seal copies; the Document class has been assigned to the module for description of information from publications; the Event class has been assigned to the holder description module.
In this tab, full-text search can be used, as well as searching by the presence of multimedia attached to the record, or finally searching by record identifier (a specific identifier value or a comma-separated list of identifiers must be entered). At the end of the form, the method of sorting the search results can also be selected. The search options proposed in this tab can be used individually or cross-referenced.
How to Cite
When citing a specific record, the abbreviated first name and surname of its author(s), the name of the record, the URL provided in the "record identifier" field, and the access date should be given. For example, for the matrix of the second heraldic seal of Andrzej of Wawrowice, sub-judge of Kraków Land:
R. Forysiak-Wójciński, M. Szymoniak, Andrzej of Wawrowice, sub-judge of Kraków Land, heraldic seal II, https://s.lhdb.kul.pl/s/sfragis/item-set/1725 [accessed: 20.01.2025]
For records from the module describing seals from publications:
R. Forysiak-Wójciński, M. Szymoniak, Andrzej of Wawrowice, sub-judge of Kraków Land, heraldic seal II. Description by Franciszek Piekosiński from 1899, https://s.lhdb.kul.pl/s/sfragis/item/1723 [accessed: 20.01.2025]
When making a general reference to the repository, its name, the repository URL and the access date should be provided:
Corpus Sigillorum Poloniae – Materials, https://s.lhdb.kul.pl/s/sfragis/ [20.01.2025]