Cloth Seal, Portuguese, Image & Found by Paul Harfield.
Found near Itton, Monmouthshire, 24x19mm.
Portuguese coat of arms // elements of the Portuguese armillary sphere
From José Sousa, "Portuguese cloth seal, and this kind of Portuguese coat of arms is from the time of King João III (1521/1557) ... as with most Portuguese lead seals, the reverse is the armillary sphere. The armillary sphere is an important element of Portuguese heraldry since the 15th century to the present day. It is part of the flag of Portugal. A navigation instrument used to calculate distances, represents the importance of Portugal during the Age of Discovery, as well as the vastness of its colonial empire."
