The eighteenth-century Zadar Notaries seals

Abstract

This paper deals with eighteenth-century Zadar notaries’ seals having not yet been examined scientifically. From the beginnings of the notariate up to the seventeenth century, notaries certified the documents by their signature and the notarial sing. From the seventeenth century onwards the first notarial seals came into use having been chiefly the sfragistical representations of the notarial sings. At the same time figurative seals appeared as well, representing most frequently their owners’ coats of arms, legends, allusive representations of names or professions. Seals treated in this paper belong chiefly to the figurative ones and to those with legend. They are all oval-shaped with one exception only (Bartol Ferrari). Very interesting are the seals of notaries by the name of Lomazzi, Troilo, Itkovic and Calogera, due to the contents of their figures. The coats of arms are emphasized on the seals of such notaries as Francesei, Ferrari, Canova, Guerrini, Ferra- ri-Cupili, Coltelli and Castelli. Legends include mainly initials denoting name and function while words and mottoer are rare. Abbreviation is doubly represented: by initials or per suspen- sionem. Regarding marks of distinction dots, little crosses and asterisks are used. The practical usage of notarial seals lays in the notarization of various documents serving in the first place, together with the notary’s signature, as a means of certification giving legal force to a document and enjoying in this way the public confidence (fides publica).