Thread
It was extremely important that the seal should not be easily removed. To ensure that the seal was safely attached to the document, the bottom edge was folded, and a hole was cut in it. Through this hole, woven cords could be passed through and secured to the seal.
Hanging by a thread.
For fibre identification, conservators would typically prepare a slide with the fibre sample and observe it under a microscope. This method of identification is destructive, as it requires taking a sample from the object, which cannot be returned.
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Due to the rare and historical value that this object holds, this type of analysis would be deemed unethical (Icon 2020).
Detail of the original thread and the restoration thread under 200x magnification.
Therefore, we have to look to historical sources to understand the thread’s materiality. Through comparison of other charters from this time period, it can be guessed that the thread is made from silk.
Silk as a textile during this period was considered a luxury, and would have been used to enhance the status of charters such as this (Huang, A. Jahnke, C. 2015).
The threads would have been dyed using natural materials, for example the red with red madder, and the green from mixing woad (blue) and weld (yellow) (Schweppe, H. 1979).
Detail of the original thread under 200x magnification.
