Reference sealing
Middle Kingdom
Small lumps of clay were often used to seal goods or documents. They are called sealings. On one side they often bear an impression of the seal used, while another side can show an impression of the object itself or of its closing mechanism (such as a string). This lump of clay bears a seal impression, but its conical shape suggests that it was never attached to an object. It can therefore be identified as a reference sealing, which was used to verify the authenticity of sealings that were attached to documents or goods. Or it could have been used as proof of authorization for certain dealings. Three more reference seals were found in the same tomb, but in a different part of it (25.3.267a-c). The reference sealing here shows an impression from the same seal as 25.3.267b that reads "Storehouse of Hathor."
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