This page provides guidance on how to search for seal data using the various filters available in the SigiDoc Portal.
The search interface is designed to make data accessible, searchable, and sustainable. It allows users to combine different search criteria and access data from multiple online seal collections, all encoded according to the SigiDoc data model. By applying and combining filters, users can, for instance, find specific seals, identify parallel specimens, or generate sigillographic statistics.
Feel free to explore the possibilities offered by the metaportal!
How to Search and Filter the Data
The search interface consists primarily of the following filters, which can be freely combined:
- Free-text Search
- Timeline Filter
- Search Filters
Clicking the "Reset search" button removes all applied filters.
a. Free-text Search
In the upper-left corner, the "Search" box allows users to search for words, phrases, or characters—regardless of their position—within all XML files queried by the Portal.
Note that not all data encoded in the XML files are displayed on the webpage. Therefore, some results may not appear to correspond to the text entered. Additionally, because this search queries also plain text sections written without controlled vocabulary, and since terms depend on editorial choices, consistency in word usage and results cannot be guaranteed.
Free-text search is best for basic queries or very specific terms not included in the filters. For more consistent results, using search filters is recommended.
Currently, free-text search supports only Latin characters, but the Portal provides virtual keyboards for entering Greek characters.
b. Timeline Filter
Below the free-text search box is a timeline with a movable slider that allows filtering by specific periods. The default time span is 400 to 1500, but this range can be adjusted.
The slider moves in 20-year increments, and results include a 20-year buffer to accommodate the broad or imprecise dating of many Byzantine seals. For example, a seal dated to the 11th century (1001–1100) will appear in the results for 981 to 1120.
The timeline filter can be combined with other filters. It resets by moving the sliders to both ends or clicking "Reset search".
c. Search Filters
Filters on the left side of the interface are the most reliable way to perform a scientific search.
Clicking a filter allows users to select a specific feature and narrow results by combining filters. The Portal supports atomic searches, where data types are separated and listed in distinct filters. For instance, the office "strategos of Cappadocia" must be searched using the filters "Military offices – strategos" and "Place names – Cappadocia".
As filters are applied, other filters automatically adjust to display only valid combinations, excluding irrelevant data.
Note: Filters reflect only the written evidence on the seals. The Portal is not a prosopographical database. Information inferred from historical context, iconography, or interpretation is not included. For example, if a historical figure is known as a "patrikios" but the title is not inscribed on their seal, the Portal will not return results under that title.
The Portal supports the following filters:
- Object Type
- Material
- Language
- Personal Names
- Family Names
- Gender
- Milieu
- Place Names
- Dignities
- Civil Offices
- Ecclesiastical Offices
- Military Offices
- Institutions
- Metrical Legends
- Type of Monogram
- Collection
c.i–iii. Object Type, Material, and Language
These filters refer respectively to the object itself, the material it is made of, and the language of the legend. Since typically the data concerns seals impressions, lead and Greek respectively, these filters become more useful when searching for other objects (e.g., markers, signet rings, boulloteria), materials (e.g., gold, silver), or languages (e.g., Latin, Arabic).
c.iv–v. Personal and Family Names
The "Personal names" and "Family names" filters support onomastic queries, such as finding all seals belonging to someone named "Theodosios" or members of the "Komnenos" family.
Since the Portal is not a prosopographical resource, it cannot search for specific individuals. To search for someone like "Nikephoros Komnenos", combine the filters "Personal names – Nikephoros" and "Family names – Komnenos." Determining whether matching seals belong to the same individual or homonyms is left to the user. Likewise, all persons with a single name like "Theodoros" are grouped together.
c.vi. Gender
This filter refers to the gender of the issuer, with options: eunuch, female, male, and undetermined. No gender is recorded for institutional issuers (e.g., monasteries).
c.vii. Milieu
This filter categorises the seal issuer's milieu, based on known offices or dignities—or the absence of such data. For example, filtering by "ecclesiastical milieu" returns seals from patriarchs, monks, priests, etc.
c.viii. Place Names
This filter includes all places mentioned on seals, such as cities (in various functions), themes, etc. It excludes institutions or organisations, which have a separate filter (see c.xiii).
c.ix. Dignities
This filter refers to the dignities held by seal issuers. For instance, users can search for all seals with the title "sebastos".
c.x. Civil Offices
This filter includes civil offices inscribed on seals. For example, to find seals from someone holding the office of "notarios," select that term.
Because of atomic search, the various elements that can designate an office are split and different filters should be combined. To find a "judge of the Hippodrome," combine "Civil offices – judge" with "Institutions – Hippodrome".
c.xi. Ecclesiastical Offices
This filter includes ecclesiastical offices found on seals. For example, search for seals with the office "archbishop".
Because of atomic search, the various elements that can designate an office are split and different filters should be combined. To find an "archbishop of Thessalonica," use "Ecclesiastical offices – archbishop" and "Place names – Thessalonica."
c.xii. Military Offices
This filter includes military offices inscribed on seals. For example, search for "strategos".
Because of atomic search, the various elements that can designate an office are split and different filters should be combined. To find a "strategos of the Opsikion," combine "Military offices – strategos" with "Place names – Opsikion".
c.xiii. Institutions
This filter includes institutions or organisations mentioned by the seals legends (e.g., tribunals, bureaus, monasteries, churches). It is separate from the "Place names" filter (c.viii).
c.xiv. Metrical Legends
This filter identifies seals with metrical legends. The filter provides a simple YES/NO option, allowing both positive and negative searches.
c.xv. Type of Monogram
This filter identifies types of monograms on seals. For example, search for seals with a cruciform monogram.
c.xvi. Collection
This filter allows users to limit searches to specific collections which the seals belong to.
Search Results - A Note of Caution
This Portal aggregates metadata from several independent collections. Its purpose is to provide quality data suitable for further research in (digital) sigillography. The Cologne and Paris collections published in the framework of the ANR-DFG DigiByzSeal project serve as examples of best practice in describing seals according to the SigiDoc data model. However, the Portal does not act as a gatekeeper. Participation is open, and the responsibility for editorial quality and consistency remains with each contributing collection.
Anyone interested in adding new data is encouraged to contact the DigiByzSeal team. We will do our best to support contributors in producing high-quality, SigiDoc-compliant records. Still, search results may reflect varying levels of detail and may omit certain categories, depending on the collection and on the editorial choices operated by the person(s) in charge.
For more information, please consult the individual collection descriptions.