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II.5. RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ORIGINAL APPEARANCE OF BOTH SIDES OF THE

SEAL
II.5.1. Viewing the seal according to the different variants of its re-gluing

Just from a cursory comparison of the image of the seal made by von Siegel with its original
preserved according to the state of 2022, we can see that they differ in the way they are glued
together, the two largest that would be preserved in the Königsberg archive, the fractions that
Lappo-Danilewski writes about.
Why, then, is there such a discrepancy, and what, in fact, could be the reason that (if the
tracing made by von Siegel actually corresponds to the then state of the preserved "ducal" seal
in the Königsberg archive) after the archive was moved (after 1945) to Berlin, it was
reconstructed again ?
***
From the descriptions of it known to us, it is clear that both M. Hrushevsky, B. Barvinsky, as
well as J. Dashkevich and O. Odnorozhenko have NEVER seen this seal in the original,
relying (in their analyses) on existing prints and photographs of it by Lappo-Danilevsky.
As a result of this, the scholarly literature also continues to reproduce the description of
Barwinski, who, on the basis of von Siegel's drawing and a photograph (?) from Lappo-
Danilewski's publication, supposes that this seal (on its obverse side) depicts the figure of a
knight with elements of armament characteristic of the 13th century (?) elements of
armament, which in effect allows him to attribute its origin to Lev Danilovich (Lev I),
although he himself is not sure whether the head of this knight "in a standing posture" (!) is
decorated with locks of thickly curled hair or covered with some kind of helmet or barbed
net...:
"...It is a knight in a standing posture, face turned to the viewer, without facial hair, with his
right hand supported by an oblong shield, having an elongated protuberance in the center.
The knight is dressed in a chainmail, reaching to the waist, while below it we see folds of
some kind of clothing, something like a shirt
, or the kaftan, worn by knights under the chainmail..."1 /
Also did not see the original of this seal O. Kruszewski because his description based on the
texts of his predecessors even seems to indicate that even the contents of their reproduction
did not confront them with the original stating (among other things) that this alleged knight
depicted on its obverse side (in a sitting position?) holds a shield not in his right but in his
LEFT hand. 2/3

1 /(op.cit Barwinski: .p.101 no.6).

2/ vide : Купчинський О. "Акти та документи Галицько-Волинського князівства ХІІ - першо половини
ХІV століть: Дослідження. Тексти.", Львів, 2004p.,p.147
3 //"Доніс до наших днів унікальну сфрагістика пам'ятку, зокрема велику печатку князія Юрія Лвовіча.
(To this day [has survived to our time] a unique monument of sfragistics, in particular the great seal of Prince
Yuri Lvovich./ p.146) and continues on page 147:

"the writing was attested by two hanging (?) seals (двома віслімі пецаткамі).They were made of natural-
colored wax and have two-sided images : 1) the seal (obverse) probably belongs to Lev
Another - in turn - similarity in the image of the knight on the obverse of the "ducal" seal was
sought by Lappo-Danilewski himself, comparing its image to the seal of Ziemowit Mazowiecki
o f 1343 or the seal of Waclaw Boleslawic of 1326. However, it is difficult, even in this case, to find
any analogy between the two images - directly resulting from its transfer to the "ducal" seal. -
analogy. (Fig.55 a- c)

Fig.55 a-c: Comparison of :a) Князь Изяслав-Пантелеймон-Мстиславович,b) obverse of seal

composed of Lappo-Danilewicz's photograph and von Siegel's print in mirror reflection,c) seal of
Duke of Mazovia and Plock - Waclaw Boleslawowicz (1326r) with "Mazovian" shield according to Fr.
Piekosinski: "Polish Seals....": p.200, fig.223.

These facts alone punish the question of the REAL appearance of this seal when it still existed
preserved in its entirety.

Yurevich.A simple association with the name of one of the authors of the letter, but uncertain.There is a
presumption that this seal was not prepared for the prince with his accession to the throne of Galicia-
Vlodzimiersk and belonged to (his) grandfather - prince Lev Danilovich (according to the suggestion of
Barvinsky). This is a circular seal (in circumference = 7cm) attached at the fold (bend) in the lower part of the
parchment document with brick-red threads braided into a cord .(.) On the face (obverse) side of the stamp is the
figure of an amphaz knight, who sits in full dress, "in armor", his left hand resting on a shield (....шо сидит у
повній одяґніутово "в лати ",ліва рука якого оперта на шіт / шцит ); on the reverse side - SYLVISION of a
lion facing - as required by heraldry - to the left (повернутого по-генеральному вліво) ....The seal was
damaged (?) at the beginning of the twentieth century but two fragments survived (печатка поскодзена (...)
,від неї з б е р е г л о с я ліше два одламкі)....2) seal (on the left side) circular (about 9 cm in diameter) with a
double-sided image attached like the first one...The front side depicts the figure of a prince(prince) sitting on a
throne. On the perimeter of the seal the legend "+ DOMINI GEORGI REGIS RUSIE". On the reverse side a
rider,his horse turned to the left according to the principle of heraldry . Around the inscription:
"+ S(IGILLUM] DOMINI GEORGI DUCIS LADIMERIE" [in a footnote to the content of the legend,
Kupchinski cites KARAMZIN (!) WG as the source. WHOSE INSCRIPTION, AFTER ALL, HAD THE
FOLLOWING CONTENT: "....GEORIGI
PRINCIPIS...".Moreover, describing the appearance of the seal at the document of 1316, he omits the
information that on this particular "royal" seal , of which only a fragment has survived, this inscription cannot be
read at all !]
 ***
The first - that we know of, - an example other than the one depicted in von Siegel's drawing
"reconstruction" of the seal is the illustration that M. Hrushevsky included in the " Illustrated
History of Ukraine" published by him in 1918(Fig. 56 a-b)

Fig.56a Reproduction of the appearance of the "prince's" seal according to the original from
"Illustrated History of Ukraine" published in 1916 in Kiev by M.Hrushevskyi4/.

4// Mихайло Грушевський : " ІЛЮСТРОВАНА ІСТОРIЯ УКРАІНИ", Киiв, 1918...,p.123 fig.110 (Печатка
галицького князя, мабуть Льва Даниловича, уживана його внуком.).
Fig. 56b : Reconstruction of the appearance of the seal according to M.Hrushevsky5/ - reproduced in the
publication of V.Havrilenko6/ (op.A.Szymski)
From the presented compilation, it is clear that the author, falsifying the authenticity (?) of von Siegel's
print, CREATES a new reconstruction of it, assuming that the two (preserved) parts of this seal (as
already seen by Lappo-Danilewski) are completely independent of each other .and have been
"combined" by von Siegel (only for the purpose of creating an imaginary illustration by him).
Following the same principle, however, we can claim that the REAL joining of these TWO
FRAGMENTS is closer to the solution in which - visible on von Siegl's print - the symbols of
"crescent" and "cross" on the image of its obverse part should be in mutual correlation with each other
(fig.57) and not, in fact, be in a completely random place as presented - in his version of the possible
place where the two parts of the seal were glued together - by von Siegl.(Fig.56 b).
He did not have this problem Lappo-Danilewski, who, although his own version of the connection of
the two parts that from the "princely" seal survived, no longer presented the sign of the cross on the
surviving fraction of the seal at all (Fig.58 a-b).

Fig.57 : Variant of reconstruction (combining the two parts of the seal) with shifting the smaller
fragment to a position equating the sign o f t h e cross with the sign of the crescent [ the moon as the
sign of the N. Virgin Mary and the cross as the sign of J. Christ (?) ] ; op. A. Szymski.

5 /jw.
6/
Гавриленко В.О. "Українська сфрагістика: питання предмета та історіографії.", Київ, 1977.[TABLE III
ON P.157].
Fig.58. )according to vonSiegel ,2)according to fot
,3)according to V.O. Havilienko / after M.Hrushevsky (1916r) 7 /.

Fig.59 Reproduction of von Siegle's version of the gluing of the two seal fragments in O.Odnorozhenko's
publication8/.

7 /jw.
8/ Однороженко О. "Руські королівські, господарські та князівські печатки ХІІІ- ХVІ Хст." Харків, 2009.
p.5
On the other hand, O.Odnorozhenko in his collection of seals published in 20099 / repeated
the version of the appearance of the seal as presented by von Siegl (fig.59) with the only
difference that instead of giving the author of this drawing he added his own description of it
from which the reader who uses this study learns that he sees before him not a drawing by von
Siegl but a reproduction of an alleged photograph of the seal of Prince Lev Danilovich (!)
II.5.2. Reconstruction of the appearance of the figure on the obverse side

According to the information provided by L. Voytovych - Lev I (Lev Danilovich) was given
the name "Onufry" at baptism10 / while L e v II (Lev Lvovich) was named Dmitry? (ukr.
Dmytro ;russ. Dmitry) ) /.11
Thus, according to the tradition prevailing in the territories of the former Kievan Rus, both the
seals of Lev I and Lev II (if they survived at all) should have on the obverse images of
saints who became their "godparents."
Therefore, in order to clarify whose seal with a lion is actually ? on the reverse side by the
letter to the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order from 1316, it is necessary to identify the
image of the figure of this
"mysterious" knight whose image is depicted on its obverse.

Fig.60 a-b: a) Князь Изяслав-Пантелеймон-Мстиславович ; b) Печать блгв. к н . Мстислава

Мстиславича. 1180-1228

9 / Однороженко О. Руські королівські, господарські та князівські печатки ХІІІ- ХVІ ст. Харків, 2009.
10 / pro: Leontij Wojtowych: Lev Danilovich.".".,ed.Avalon-Krakow 2021,p.16
11/ for: Леонтій ВОЙТОВИЧ:" КНЯЗЬ ЛЕВ ЮРІЙОВИЧ: СПРОБА ПОРТРЕТА", УДК 94 (477).
"ХІІІ";p.129-130. [ op.cit: "В міру об'єднання і зміцнення поль ських земель потрібно було мати союзників
і з числа опонентів краків ських князів Запис у Києво-Печерському пом'янику поз.262) дозволяє
припускати, що хресним iменем князя Лева було ім'я Дмитро."]
After all, in the absence of seals that would be directly attributed to such saints, the penalty is
to look for a pattern in the very similarity of its modeling.
Of the many princely seals from Kievan Rus that are known to us today, the closest to the
image of the figure on the alleged seal of Lev I seems to be both the seal of Izalav Mstislavich
( Изяслав Мстиславич) with the image of St. Theodore ( св. Федор.Theodore ( св. Федор.)
and the seal of Blessed Prince Mstislav Mstislavich (блгв. кн. Мстислав Мстиславич) (Fig.60 a-
b) (fig.61 a-b)

Fig.61-ab : a) image of the obverse side of the alleged seal of Lev Danilovich according
to.O.Odnorozhenko's reconstruction12 (in mirror image) and b) the seal of Izaslav Mstislavovich (
Князь Изяслав- Пантелеймон-Мстиславович ) with the image of the saint St. Fedor ?(in enlarged
scale).

In the remaining examples (Fig.62 a-f ) (Fig.63) this resemblance can be found only in the
generally accepted and, as it seems, repeatedly repeated in its essence anonymous - the form
of the figure depicting this patron in a standing posture, with an open head surrounded by a
halo , with a shield and a spear - directly derived from the tradition of the Byzantine seal ) . /13

12/ Однороженко О. Руські к о р о л і в с ь к і , господарські та князівські печатки ХІІІ- ХVІ Х с т . Х а р к і в ,

2009.,p.190 item 1.
13/ cf. А. Л . Хорошкевич:" Символы русской государственности", Издательство Московского
университета.,1993.
Fig.62 a-f: a)Дмитрий Солунский с копьем в правой руке и щитом влево ; b) Вислая печать
Изяслава Мстиславича - св. Федор; c) вислая печать князяИзяслава
Пантелеймона_Мстиславовича , d) Князь Роман (Борис)Мстиславович _AWERS (?) ; e) печать
князя Мстислава Удатного ; f) stamp without description from the cover of the book by Voytovych:
"Lev Danilovich"- publ.Avalon_Krakow 2021

Fig.63 "Holy warrior" on the seal of Roman Mstislavovich - Prince of Galicia and Volhynia
14/

14 /"On the reverse of the seal is an image of the saint in the form of an infantryman, who rests his left hand on a
circular convex shield and wields a spear in his right hand. Also worth noting is the warrior's body, which
includes stylized armor. The semi-circular image obviously indicates plate or scaly armor.(...) The image under
the warrior's left hand of the convex shield can be interpreted as flat, as the typical image in sfragistics
II.5.3. Seal marks: "cross" and "crescent".

Fig.64 a-f : CONNECTION OF TWO MAIN EL. SEALS : a-b according to von Siegel ,c-d according
to photo by Laapo-Danilevskiy on von Siegel (?) odrys (?), d1 according to state of original 2022, e-f
according to O.Odnorozhenko15/.

of a rolling shield cannot be adequately perceived visually, so it was conveyed in this way. However, it should be
noted that Byzantine heredity is very clearly traced on this model, since the image with an infantryman (saint)
armed with a spear is also characteristic (yes) of Byzantine and Russian sphragistics." [
https://www.dolgorukiy-dynastic.com/440848119?i=161171565 [
https://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/ruwiki/219714

На реверсі печатки розміщено зображення святого в образі пішого воїна, що опирається лівою рукою на
круглий випуклий щит, а у правиці тримає списа. Слід також звернути увагу на тулуб воїна, який містить
стилізований обладунок. Зображення у формі півкілець, очевидно, означає пластинчатий або лускатий
обладунок28. Зображення під лівою рукою воїна щита випуклої форми, можливо, слід інтерпре тувати
я к плоске, оскільки типове зображення в сфрагістиці повернутого щита не може бути адекватно
сприйнято візуально, тому було передано в такий спосіб29. Проте варто зазначити, що на цьому взірці
дуже яскраво прослідковується візантійська спадковість, оскільки і сюжет з пішим воїном (святим),
озброєним списом, є характерним для візантійської і руської сфрагістики30."[/Микола Козак
: "ВІЙСЬКОВА СПРАВА КОРОЛІВСТВА РУСІ У СФРАГІСТИЧНИХ ДЖЕРЕЛАХ ХІІІ-ХIV
ст.",....s.277/]
15 / Fig. c, b and d with additional superimposition of the outline of the "lion" from the Lappo-Danilevskiy photograph)
In the presented variants of reconstructing the image of the seal by attempting to combine two
surviving fragments of it into a single whole taking into account only the correspondence of
the appearance of the two sides of the coin seal so reconstructed (from the accepted
assumption), their authors completely ignored the significance of the existing images on its
obverse side
"crescent" and "cross" (Fig.64 a-f) .
These, in turn, being the only surviving signs directly identifying the figure of the "holy
warrior", also seem to be the only "key" leading to the answer to the question of the time of
its creation and the person of its disposer .(Fig.65 a-d)
Taking them into account in the reconstruction of the image of both the obverse side and the
presumed reverse side becomes here an additional criterion for the correctness of the
reconstruction regardless of whether we will treat both sides of this seal as common parts of
ONE SEAL or as one-sided seals - separately . (Fig.66 to Fig.77)

a) b) c) d)

Fig.65 a-d : summary listing with location of "cross" in von Siegel and O.Odnorozhenko's reading
(items 2 and 3) 16 /.

16 / comparison: a) view from a photograph by Lappo-Danielewski taken in 1903 , b) a print by von Siegel , c) a
print by O.Odnorozhenko superimposed on the seal of the original in 2022, d) the original seal after conservation
according to the state in 2022.
 a) b) c)

Fig. 66 . Comparative comparison of the obverse part of the seal with isolation of its fragment on
which the trace of the "+" sign remained. : a) according to photo by Lappo-Danilevsky ,b) in von
Siegel's imprint ,c) on the original existing imprint with superimposition of the imprint from O.
Odnorozhenko's reconstruction

Fig.67 The location of the cross mark ("+") on the preserved part of the seal as of 2022
In place of the location according to von Siegel's impression of the seal
Fig.68 . Both parts of the seal in the location of their position ; a) as in von Siegel's drawing , b ) in the
engraving according to O. Odnorozhenko on the original seal according to the state of preservation i n
2022

II.5.3. Reconstruction of the appearance of the seal with mutual correlation between
the image of the obverse side and the image of the reverse side

a) b)

Fig.69 a-b : Comparison of the actual state of the gluing of the two parts of the seal on the preserved
original seal of 2022 with the displacement of the smaller fragment with the sign of the cross ("+") to
a position parallel to the sign of the "crescent" ( rotation of the sign "+" to the position " X") : a) the
appearance of the obverse side ,b )the appearance of the reverse side with and after the displacement of
the smaller fragment with the preservation of the vertical axis of the figure of the "holy warrior" on its
obverse side
Fig.70 The final effect of the location of the TWO preserved parts of the seal (according to the preserved state
of 2022) in the seal field with a view of the side: obverse side (a) and reverse side (b)

Fig.71 Detail : approximate location of the symbol of the cross of St.Andrew the Apostle ("X") on the
obverse side of the "duke" seal in a position parallel to the "crescent" symbol (on the seal in mirror
view):
Fig.72 The appearance of the seal after its rotation to the vertical axis determined by the silhouette of
the warrior (on the obverse) and the position of the presumed lion silhouette (on the reverse) in
relation to its inspection (the way it was glued) after the restoration of the seal according to the state in
2022 (vide Fig. 70) with the reading of the mark
"+" as the Greek letter "X" or as the sign of the cross of St.Andrew the Apostle17/ with a heraldic lion18/
on the reverse side.

Fig.73 Image of the alleged lion silhouette on the reverse with an elongated tail line in relation to the
image of the original according to the seal's state of preservation in 2022 - after correction:
reconstruction (vid. Fig. 72)

17 / " Χριστός" (gr) also means = Christ, Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace ; in Russian and Ukrainian : Христос
(read: Khrystos )
18/ СТОЯЩИЙ ЗВЕРЬ (нем. stehend Tier): Распространенная в западноевропейской геральдике статичная
поза изображаемого в профиль зверя, передние лапы которого прижаты одна к другой и вертикальны,
ближняя к зрителю задняя лапа отнесена назад, а другая выставлена вперед. Таким образом, положение
задних лап стоящего зверя точно такое же, как у ш е с т в у ю щ е г о , хвост также поднят параллельно
спине и завершен развевающейся к и с т ь ю . (Static position of an animal shown in profile, common
in Western European heraldry , whose front paws are pressed together and positioned vertically, the hind paw
closest to the viewer is retracted and the other is extended forward. Thus, the position of the hind legs of a
standing animal is exactly the same as that of a walking animal, the tail is also raised parallel to the back and
completed with a fluttering brush); СТОЯЩИЙ ЗВЕРЬ (silaev-ag.ru)
Fig.74 The result of correct gluing (?) of both parts (after correction) on the original stamp according
to the state of 2022
 a) b)

Fig.75 a-b comparison of the result of the change in the appearance of the obverse part (Fig.72) with the
"reading" of the position of the lion on the reverse of the "princely" seal according to J. Daszkiewicz19/.

Fig.76 Comparison of the image of a lion on a hypothetical coat of arms shield - lion in
heraldic position: 1) the lion as in Fig.75a , 2) in the von Siegel print as in Fig.75b , 3) the lion
on the shield of Grand Master Landgraf Konrad von Thüringen from around 1240.

19 / Дашкевич Ярослав: "ГЕРАЛЬДИЧНЕ ЗОБРАЖЕНННЯ ЛЕВА....". p.321,fig.2

Fig..77 Silhouettes of a lion in the position of a heraldic lion-climbed compared to the lion on the
reverse of the "princely" seal (1): "Ruthenian lion" on the seal of Stefan Batory 1576-86. (2), the lion
on the secret seal of King Magnus Eriksson VII of Norway and Magnus IV of Sweden 1345-47r.

II.5.4.Medieval knight and holy warrior

Fig.78 Type of knight's armament from 1300-1340 with "transom" shield according to Polish and
Lithuanian interpretations of its origin in the 14th century as : "Mazovian" shield or "Lithuanian
shield".

Despite the passage of at least 707 years from the pp. date of its creation, on the preserved
image of the obverse part of the "prince's" seal it is still possible to read the details necessary
for reconstructing the appearance of the warrior, allowing one to determine with high
probability both the nature of the clothing of the figure depicted on it and the type of
weaponry possessed by this figure. (fig.78)
After all, its special feature is the perceptible combination in it of elements of detail that mark
the origin of the garment from the 14th century with the "canonical" form of the figure
"holy warrior" from Byzantine seals both in the posture presented and the head remaining uncovered
(though here without a halo).20 / (fig.79)(fig.80)

Fig..79 Comparison of the appearance of the figure of the knight in lamellar armor with a head
covering i n t h e form of a spiked hood (a) with the appearance of the "holy warrior"(?) according
to Lappo-Danilewski's photograph in combination with a smaller seal fragment according to von
Siegel's print (in mirror reflection)

a) b)

Fig.80 Image of the figure of the knight within the hypothetical boundaries of the reconstructed seal
(although it seems doubtful that the "princely" seal does not include the entire figure ) a) comparative
model of the figure of the knight in armament from the late 13th and early 14th centuries , b) the
appearance of the seal from the combination of its appearance based on the Lappo-Danilewski
photograph and the smaller fraction according to the von Siegel cast in position with the hypothetical
spear axis.

20/ which in turn seems to indicate that (analogous to Byzantine-type seals of the 13th and 14th centuries ) the figure
presented is directly an image not of the patron but of its owner
Based on the presented comparisons and the image of the seal according to its preserved state
in 2022 (Fig.1) it seems to be indisputable (contrary to the earlier suggestion of B. Barwinski)
that the head of the figure (warrior=knight) which we see on the seal is covered neither with a
thorn hood nor any kind of helmet, and the previously presented comparisons with princely
seals only confirms the direct reference of its image to the image of the patron saints on the
known Ruthenian seals from this and earlier periods , in other regions of Rus still in use.
(Fig.60 to 63)
From the many variants of its pp. appearance (Fig.81 to Fig.92 ) possible to compare with the
image of the figure depicted on the preserved fragments of the "princely" seal, it also appears
that the seal depicts a full-sized human figure - consistent with the pattern of both the
"Byzantine-Ruthenian seal" and European seals as we know them from the turn of the 13th
and 14th centuries.

Fig .81 Reconstruction of the obverse side in the half-post variant : a ) reconstruction according to A.Szymski
b)
obverse image from the original Lappo-Danilevskiy photo and the addition of a fraction according to von
Siegel's casting

Fig.82 Reconstruction of the missing fragment on the "prince" seal with comparison to the
reconstructed figure of the "knight" in the variant of the appearance of the "warrior" presented in
full form
Fig.83 E g : according to an image of the seal of Alexios I Komnenos

Fig.84 Yv. : according to the image of the seal of Vsevolod Mstislavich ( князя Всеволода Мстиславича ).
Fig.85 ibid: according to the image of the figure on the icon of St. Evstaphios 21/

21 / Э. А. Г о р д и е н к о : "СФРАГИСТИКА РОСТИСЛАВИЧЕЙ КАК ОТРАЖЕНИЕ ОТНОШЕНИЙ

НОВГОРОДА, СМОЛЕНСКА И СУЗДАЛЯ В СЕРЕДИНЕ XII - НАЧАЛЕ XIII ВЕКА.", (excerpt of an icon
from the
The figure of St.Evstaphios...(p.58 fig.6)
Fig.86 a-d Comparing the figure of a "knight" in 14th century armor with a "transom" shield according
to the pattern of the "pedestrian transom" shield in the original reflection of the image on the "prince's"
seal (a) and in the mirror reflection (b)
Fig.87 Comparison of the engraving of the seal fragment with the image of the cross (+) with the
preserved seal fragment as of 2022: a) von Siegel's engraving of 1898, b) the original fragment as of
2022 , c) reconstruction according to O.Odnorozenko in accordance with von Siegel's engraving [ the
red line indicates the size and shape of the seal fragment from von Siegel's engraving].

Fig..88 a-b Comparison of the original (as of 2022) and the appearance of the "princely seal according to the
reconstruction(?) of O. Odnorozhenko
Fig.89 a-b reconstruction on the original of the preserved image of the obverse of the :prince's" seal
of 2022 according to A.Szymski (a) and according to O.Odnorozhenko (b).

Fig.90 a-b Comparison of the location of the preserved fragments of the "prince's" seal with
verification of its actual size : a) in correction according to A. Szymski, b)according to the
state of gluing of the original from 2022 ( blue color indicates the boundaries of the preserved
parts of the reverse side ).
Fig.91 a-c Comparison of the original according to the state of the seal in 2022 (a) with the
reconstruction according to A. Szymski (b) and with the cross cast (x) on the preserved seal fragment
a c c o r d i n g t o von Siegel (c).

a) b)

Fig.92 a-b The place and image of the "cross" on the seal casting according to O. Odnorozhenko - after von
Siegel
(a) and according to the reconstruction of A.Szymski : as the cross of St. Andrew the Apostle - "X" (b).

In the end, it is possible to present (the closest possible) her probable (idealized) appearance
together with the identification of both the type of armor she possessed and the a r m a m e n t
typical for the probable period of her origin , or - as mentioned earlier (given the close
contacts of the Romanowicz family with the court of the Mazovian princes) - directly
being a reproduction of the seal of Prince Siemowit II or Waclaw
Boleslawowicz
.(Fig.93) (Fig.94) /22

Fig. 93. Variant reconstruction of the original appearance of the "duke" seal on the original casting
the seal of Siemowit II (Wiski )

a) b) c)

Fig.94 a-c Comparison of the full reconstruction of the appearance of the obverse of the "duke" seal of
1316 with the seals of the dukes of Mazovia a) the seal of Andrew Jurewicz(?) of about 7.2 cm in size
(according to the reconstruction of A. Szymski); b) the seal of Ziemowit II of Mazovia according to
the engraving of the docket of 1343 (

22 / whose origin - in turn - is attributed to the influence of Ruthenian traditions (!)

possible time p. p. of seal creation: after 1313) , size 8.7 cm; c) seal of Waclaw Boleslawowicz dated
1326, size 10.3 cm.23/.

II.V.5.Reconstruction of the appearance ofreverse part of the "princely" seal as the

seal of Prince Lev Yurevich:

The fact that this seal, preserved to our times in two independent fragments, is presented as a
two-sided seal on which on the alleged obverse side a human figure is depicted and on the
alleged reverse side an animal silhouette, commonly identified as a lion silhouette, not only
seems to be a combination - from the point of view of Slavic knowledge - not so much
unusual as unknown in European Slavic studies. It is - in this situation - not unreasonable to
conclude that in fact we are dealing here not with one, but with two - one-sided seals, which
of the same dimensions (from the surviving fractions) were glued together during cleaning
work in the Königsberg archive at the end of the eighteenth century or in the early years of the
nineteenth century .This fact seems to be confirmed by the directly noticeable differences in
the way they were interconnected, as well as by the drawn reconstructions both presented in
the publications of Fr.Piekosiński, J.Daszkiewicz or O.Odnorożenko. Each of them, in order
to be credible, requires re-separation and re-gluing of these (preserved) fragments into -
corresponding to the authors of these reconstructions - a whole.
Assuming that we are dealing with two seals independent of each other not only increases the
legibility of the "content" presented on it, but - most importantly - directs their view towards
TWO ( and not one) of their disposers. In addition, it allows - in accordance with the
preserved trace, marked with a dotted line, border to reconstruct its proper size .Finally, it
confirms the sovereign independence of both brothers, the older of whom (Andrew) took
power in the hereditary principalities (Vladimir and Halych) when the younger (Leo) became
prince of Lutsk.
At the same time - in the presented form - the reconstruction of the SAME silhouette of the
"lion" ( in the postulated by the majority of Ukrainian historians on this issue so far, "lion-
climbing" attitude) both in its "coat of arms" variant and on the seal oval only directly
confirms its typically European origin. ) both in its "coat of arms" variant and on the oval of
the seal only directly confirms its typically European origin.(Fig.95 to Fig.99)

23 / Piekosiński Fr.:" Pieczęcie polskie wieków średnich....",1889r: b) Ziemowit II Mazowiecki : item.397 ,p.227
fig.266; c) Wacław Bolesławowicz :.item.339,p.199-200,fig.223.. [according to Stroński, this seal or one with a
similar appearance to this one (b) would have been supposed to hang already at a document from the year 1317
(vide Stronczński: "uzupełnienie do przeglądu pieczęci Piastów Polskich".,Warsaw 1882r. ...p.6
Fig.95 location of the fragment with part of the tail: as of 2022(a) and after the correction (?) after the
seal was enlarged (b) on the relief of the figure from the seal of Siemowit II

Fig.96 a-b : a) state of preservation of the 2022 "duke" seal after restoration ; b) reconstruction of the
appearance of the reverse side according to A. Szymski.
Fig. 97 a-b : Position of the "Lion" on the shield of the coat of arms: comparison: a) the lion from the
alleged seal of Leo Jurewicz and b) the lion in the shield of the coat of arms of Scotland on the statue
of Robert Bruce Stirling :24 / ( mirror image )

Fig.98 a-b The lion version of the "ascended lion" on the classical "shield of arms" in full
reconstruction ( a) according to the image of the coat of arms of Scotland on the statue of Robert Bruce
Stirling (b).

24 / by author photo : Eusebius@Commonos,patforma:fickr(cc)

Fig.99 a-b comparison of silhouettes of lions in the outline of a circle : a) on the reverse of the seal as
of 2022 in a mirror image , b) the Lawenstein coat of arms on the portal of the church in Lowenburg
(photo A.Szymski)

II.6. SUMMARIZED
II.6.1.STYLISTIC FEATURES
Made - perhaps by an engraver other than the author of the "royal" seal - seal
"princely" is characterized by a clearly discernible confusion of "style" in the image known to
us from the images of the seals of Ruthenian princes still in use by the end of the 15th century,
as well as the prevailing "canon" of the coat of arms sign borrowed here from the fully
developed , European heraldry already in the 13th century. (Fig.100 a-d) (Fig. 101 a-b)

Fig.100 a-b .Preserved original seal matrix with the image of an ascending lion (a) and its reflection in
wax paste (b) /25

25 / from the text of the description : "MEDIEVAL MATRIX with image of a rampaging l i o n , circa XIV ,
continent. Large bronze disc seal with attached dorsal handle and hanging loop on the back, decorated with a
design of a rampaging lion with the legend +LEONIS DELIMENA . Bronze, 22 grams, diameter 32.5 mm"
https://www.lotsearch.net/lot/medieval-rampant-lion-seal-matrix-12795459#mz-expanded-view-1055375694761
Indeed, if its obverse part has clear features characteristic of Ruthenian seals with a patronal
figure, then its reverse part (which has no equivalent in Ruthenian sphragistics) is a direct
direct transfer of the European pattern of the type of coats of arms seals in the 13th and 14th
centuries - with the sign of a climbing (or walking) lion not known in European eastern border
countries.
In this sense , in its general (obverse + reverse) appearance, it does not fit into either of these
two types of seals classification. Therefore, it is not surprising that Lappo-Danilevsky (the
only real researcher of this seal so far), looking for patterns for it in the seals of various
European countries - despite his diligent search - did not find these analogies in the "princely"
seal.
However, this does not contradict the fact that, regardless o f t h e mystery of the place and
time of its origin, it is "in itself" a unique seal. At first glance" it is typically Byzantine-
Ruthenian, after a closer look at it in the manner of engraving of the presented figures, its size
and the added symbols of the crescent and the cross, in a similar form of the "moon" and
"sun" signs used in the seals of the rulers of the kingdoms of Hungary, Scotland or England
that we know of today, Scotland or England, seems to indicate a maker closely connected
with one of the courts of the Mazovian princes or directly working at the court of Wladyslaw
Lokietek, for whom both alleged owners of this - identified as
"bilateral" - seals were nephews(!).
After all, in the very way of combining the obverse part with the image of a "holy warrior"
with the nondescript reverse with an alleged image of a lion, it is also a compilation of
tradition in Russia - in this form of combining the image of a man and an animal - hitherto (as
well as later) unknown, while the lack of a legend typical of a ruler's seal, a tradition directly
(its) Western origin denied.

Fig.101 a-d Russian princely seals of the 12th century and Byzantine seal of the 11th century/.26

26Seal of Byzantine Emperor Alexis I Komnenos :

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Alexios_I_Komnenos#/media/File:Seal_of_Alexios_Komnenos_
as_Grand_Domestic_of_the_West.jpg
 II.6.2 SYMBOLISM
For at least two centuries Ukrainian historiography has struggled to explain the essential
features and meanings of the symbolic images that were supposedly in use as ancestral
emblems of the Romanovichs ruling in the Halych and Volyn principalities, or as "state"
emblems of both principalities separately as well as jointly (?)
In this set of acceptable heraldic signs appear two heraldic symbols commonly known in
Europe, which are the "eagle" and "lion," it is in the case of these two principalities that they
acquire (in the eyes of Ukrainian historians) some SPECIAL - even mythical - meaning.
As A. V. Majorov27 /:""...the symbol of the two-headed eagle is fixed in various heraldic and
sphragistic monuments, referring not only to the western outskirts of Halyt-Volhynia Rus (the
lands of Przemysl and Sanok), but also coming from the territory of its eastern borders (Lutsk
county). This fact, in turn, indicates that the two-headed eagle was once a common symbol
for the entire territory of the Halych-Volyn principality. Such a spread of the eagle symbol
could only have occurred when the Galician-Volyn lands politically represented a single
entity, being under the supreme authority of a single prince. It is difficult to be wrong if we
consider that the time when the double-headed eagle could have become widespread in
Halych-Volyn Rus as a heraldic sign could only have been during the short reign of Roman
Mstislavich (1199-1205), as well as the last period of his son Daniel's reign after his victory at
the Battle of Yaroslavl (1245-1264). From the immediate context of the description of the
battle given in the Sofonovich Chronicle, it is clear that the princes whose coat of arms was
the eagle should be considered to be Danil Romanovich, his brother Vasilevich and son
Lev."28 /.

It is also (as A.V. Majorov further argues with reference to the publications of A.Grecha and
O.Odnorozhenko : "The perpetuation of the double-headed eagle - once a heraldic sign
common to all of Halych-Volyn Rus - as a local territorial symbol of the P r z e m y ś l land
cannot be considered a unique phenomenon in history. Apparently, in the same way, another
symbol once common to the Russian kingdom - a lion climbing a rock, known since the reign
of Lev Danilovich (1264 - about 1301), in the 15th century becomes the local coat of arms of
the Lviv land."29 /.

27/ A.V. Mayorov. "Russia, Byzantium and Western Europe: from the history of foreign policy and cultural
relations of the 12th-13th centuries". :: Part Six. Attributes and symbols of tsarist power in Russia In the
thirteenth century: chapter thirty-five. Byzantine eagle on the coat of arms of Halych-Volyn Rus :: The image of
the eagle in monuments of ancient Russian art (a-nevsky.ru)

28/ In the "Chronicle" of the Kiev igumen of St. Michael's Golden Dome Monastery by Theodosius Sofonovich
(1676), we find a description of the sign that preceded the battle of Yaroslavl, taken from the Halych-Volyn
Chronicle - the appearance of several eagles in the sky - along with the chronicler's expressive commentary:
"whose sign (the appearance of eagles. - A.M.) the princes for good sobe revered, because ih coat of arms eagle."
[according to Theodosius Sofonovich. Khronika z litopistsiv starodavnih / Pidg. textu, peredimova i komentari
Yu.A. Mitsika, V.M. Kravchenka. Kiev, year 1992. p. 146]

29 /Mayorov "Russia, Byzantium and Western Europe....." in footnote no.4

But this whole argument seems to be contradicted by the fact that the image of an eagle is
commonly found in works of art of the pre-Mongol period. Numerous carved images of eagles
of various types can be seen in the decoration of St. Dmitri's Cathedral in Vladimir-on-
Klasma. An embossed eagle adorned the helmet of Novgorod Prince Mstislav Yuriyevich,
which was later inherited by Vladimir Grand Duke Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Various images
of the eagle (as well as depictions of other animals) are found on ceramic tiles that are
characteristic not only of Galicia. And what seems most important - giving the lie to the whole
, twistedly explained here, argumentation - the double-headed eagle itself is the coat of arms
mark of the Russian Czars, who derive this mark directly from the tradition of the Byzantine
Empire.

The above hypotheses, combined with the only MATERIAL evidence that both the "royal"
seal a n d the "prince's" seal are said to be (dating back to the 14th century), make it almost
impossible to evaluate them taking into account their special features not found in Russian
sphragistics and thus requiring additional description.

To sum up: we are dealing not only with the only example of the ducal seal, but a l s o with a
completely new tradition, which shows (without a doubt) the intermingling of traditions in the
two westernmost territorial Russian principalities and (in this case) the replacement (?) of the
monogram form with a simpler (because it does not require knowledge of Greek) to read
SYMBOL: to keep the sign of the "sickle of the moon" as the SYMBOL of the N. Virgin
Mary (Mother of God) and with the replacement of the sign of the
"sun" (?) with the sign of "cross" (+) as a symbol of Jesus Christ. (Fig.102) or - in this
particular case - with an "X" as the sign of the cross of St. Andrew the Apostle. (fig.71)

Fig.102 Fragment of undated Russian icon with monograms of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary [
http://forum.tpzn.pl/index.php?topic=6092.0 ]

Although the figure of St. Andrew the Apostle is particularly revered in "Moscow Rus'" a
telling example of which can be seen in the fact that the highest state decoration in Czarist
Russia was (since the time of Peter the Great) the Order of St. Andrew on which this sign of
the cross
is located30 / and although we have numerous examples of icons on which this saint is
depicted at the moment of his crucifixion, the lack of seals on which this saint would be
"described" with the sign of this cross prevents any comparison with an earlier (perhaps?)
existing model.(Fig.103) This lack may also be the result of the rarity of the use of this saint's
name in Rus as the baptismal name of the princes of that time. But the fact that this sign of the
cross ("X") was used on seals in medieval Europe at all is attested by two (previously shown)
seals (Fig.54 a-b)
But also - by the fact that in the depicted style it seems to combine both : the seal of the
"prince" , on which on the obverse is depicted a human figure = a warrior=armor? holding a
spear and a shield , next to which on one side is an image of a crescent and on the other a
"cross"31 / , and on the reverse an alleged image of a lion climbed ( in heraldic position ) is the
SAME composition in the sphragistic literature n o w h e r e else noted (!). This is because
there is no doubt that the intention of the engraver making HER piston was to combine
different stylistic traditions in one composition . /.32

Fig.103 The only seal known so far ( Prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich ) with the image of the patron
saint : St. Andrew -Apostol 33/.

30 / https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_%C5%9Awi%C4%99tego_Andrzeja_(Empire_Russia)
31 / today - in the state of preservation of the seal - TOTALLY UNREADABLE (!).
32 / The knowledge, after all, that this engraver must have had [ on the one hand, making it similar to the
traditional princely seals from the territory of Rus, known in surviving exemplars already from the XII century
and used until the beginning of the XVI century? with the simultaneous use of patterns from the seals of
European rulers known to him in the pp. time of its creation (XIII-XIV century) : in the adopted size (Rus seals
do not exceed the size of 3-4 cm!) as well as style]. points to a later origin of this seal than previously believed, or
directly to its creation (by someone) only in the 19th century - which would mean that it is a fake seal. FOR
THERE IS ALSO NO EXAMPLE OF THE CONNECTION IN ONE SEAL OF THE RUSSIAN IMAGE
HUMAN POSITION on its obverse with an image of an ANIMAL on the reverse) (!)....
33 / Печати "Всеволода" Ярославича. На одной стороне написано на греч: "Господи,поможи рабу своеву
Андрею Свальду"(греч. Κ[ΥΡΙ]Ε ΒΟΗΘΕΙ ΤΩ ΣΩ ΔΟΥΛΩ ΑΝΔΡΕΑ ΤΩ ΣΒΛΑΔΩ) Надпись
к р е с т и л ь н о г о и имени при рождении.На другой стороне-апостол Андрей Первозванный с
надписью греч.: "святой Андрей";
https://twitter.com/uYWAVbt0bVBlOZc/status/1410687433268727810/photo/2
However, this also raises the question of whether such a composed double-sided (?) seal
attributed, after all, to Lev Danilovich could have been created as early as the 13th century or
whether it dates from later times .For accepting the view of Likhachev who stated that the type
"Western European" seal (along with the use of wax) used in Rus takes its origin only in the
15th century (!) such a possibility completely excludes although, as N.A. claims. Soboleva -
the existence of such an earlier (already) influence cannot be directly ruled out. / /3435
II.6.3.DATING
The analysis of everything concerning the history of the Principality of Halytsko-Volyn after
1290 (?), i.e. after the last date known to us from the "Volyn Latopis", is - in the absence of
any reliable Russian documents - pure SPECULATION for which the basis of credibility can
only be a letter from Vladislav Lokietko to the Pope informing him o f t h e death of Lev and
Andrew Yurevich in 1324 and the "Lithuanian Chronicle".36 This also applies to the
identification of the possible time of origin of the seal of the 'unknown prince' from the letter
of 1316, its formal characteristics and the possible time when it could have been or was
actually created.
Although the main source still being the Lappo-Danilevsky publication (with its final general
conclusions about the perceived intersection of cultural influences and traditions in the
particular type of 14th century princely seals described here: Byzantine and Western
European), on the basis of which we can conjecture that the latest of the acceptable dates for
the creation of this seal is the year 1316-this still leaves open the question of the origin of the
model with which this seal could be compared and which, after all, Lappo-Danilevsky did not
manage to find.
What doesn't seem to be all that questionable at first glance is its compilation nature seeming
to combine the traditions of the Russian princely seal in a single seal image
The latter, however, date back to the end of the 14th and early 15th centuries.

34/ Лихачев И. П. Материалы для истории византийской и русской сфрагистики. Вып. 1. - Труды музея
палеографии, Л., 1928, т. 1; вып. 2. - Там же, Л., 1930, т. 2. [ He admits, however, that the beginning of
Western European influence on sphragistic imagery is observed from the late 13th - early 14th century
(Likhachev, N. P. Materials. Vol. 1, z. 1, pp. 22 - 23, 30 - 31, 48, 51, 68 - 69; z. 2, s. 31) ]
35 /Н. А. СОБОЛЕВА:" РАЗВИТИЕ ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННОЙ СФРАГИСТИКИ" :
https://library.by/portalus/modules/science/readme.php?subaction=showfull&id=1534963021&archive=&start_f
rom=&ucat=& )
36 / sources, by the way, mutually - regarding the very death of Andrew and Lev Yurevich - contradict each other (!)

37/ as Mariusz Bartnicki writes - citing, among others, a publication by L.Ju.Tolstoy (Tолстой, Иван Иванович:
"Древнейшие русские монеты Великого княжества Киевского : нумизмат. опыт графа Ив. Ив. Толстого" :
с 19 табл. рис. / И. И. Толстой. - Санкт-Петербург: Тип. Императ. Акад. Наук, 1882. - IX, 272 с., [16] л.
табл. ) - : in the 13th century "there were essentially 2 types of sphragisticated imagery. The first group of
sphragistic monuments consists of seals with images of saints.(...) The second type of seal imagery is associated
with the image of princely signs. They were, as it were, the symbolic equivalent of the image of the ruler." At the
same time, this sign was a "trident" or "bident" in numerous variations ... (op.cit.for:M.Bartnicki:"
ATTRIBUTES OF THE RUSSIAN PRINCIPALS OF THE XIII C . AS ELEMENTS
PRESTIGE" in Almanach socjalnoj historii wypusk 8. - C. 21-31 ; s.29-30)