133 FASCICULI ARCHAEOLOGIAE HISTORICAE FASC. XXXIII, PL ISSN 0860-0007 DOI 10.23858/FAH33.2020.009 MAGDALENA BIS* SOME REMARKS ON GLASS SEALS FROM THE TERRITORY OF POLAND FROM THE 17 TH -19 TH CENTURIES Introduction Glass bottles with stamps (seals) made of the same material 1 and glass seals attached to parts of bodies of glass vessels, are one of the most interesting archaeo- logical artefacts. They stand out among the mass fnds classifed as glass cullet obtained during excavations on sites dated to the modern period, particularly in the large volume of a rather uniform bottle glass, since they are artefacts recorded usually in small numbers. The seals themselves, although small and often of a rather modest appearance, are characterised by considerable stylistic diversity, and in light of Polish publications released to date, similar specimens are usually registered on a rather * Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw; http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0108-7625; magdabis@wp.pl; magdabis@iaepan.edu.pl 1 In Polish archaeological literature, both terms are common- ly used. In this paper, I also use them interchangeably. However, both expressions are ambiguous and imprecise in relation to the analysed artefacts (this problem was already signalled by Andrzej Gołębiewski – Gołębiewski 1997, 184, footnote 1). In terms of the semantics (as an ownership and identifcation marking) and the manufacturing technique, it would be more appropriate to use the term seal. limited territory. Furthermore, inscriptions and picto- grams placed on the seals may have diferent meanings or are difcult to explain and remain a mystery. How- ever, the artistic qualities of the seals are of secondary importance, being subordinated to their primary func- tion – utilitarian, as stamps were predominantly carriers of information about production and commerce, regar- ding workshops, manufacturers, and purchasers of these products, potential outlets, the capacity of the vessels and the amount of liquid stored in them. Mark- ings on bottles also conformed to ofcially imposed re- quirements or advertised the goods labelled with them (both the vessel and its contents). Such products were used for storing, transporting, and serving mostly al- coholic beverages, mainly wine, beer, vodka, gin, and spirits, as well as mineral water. The use of such markings on modern glass vessels from the territory of Poland may be seen as the conse- quence of the relationships and economic and cultural infuences between various countries on the European continent at that time. This was the result of reproduc- ing practices already tested and widespread abroad, which were also applied to local glass manufacturing and gained a good reputation among the local consumers. Abstract: This paper presents information about modern glass seals obtained during archaeological excavations carried out on the territory of modern-day Poland after 1987. The author reviews fnds and their characteristics and based on such collected data attempts to indicate their quantitative diversity, territorial range, and chronology. The paper also focuses on markings identifed on glass seals divided by their types. These are individualised signs, monograms, symbols, descriptive signs, and numerical signs, mostly trademarks. This analysis aims to outline the state of research and indicate various research questions associated with the production and use of stamped glass vessels in Poland, which require further studies. Keywords: glass seals, glass bottles, bottles with seals, glass fnds, Poland, 17 th -19 th century Received: 20.08.2020 Revised: 12.09.2020 Accepted: 08.10.2020 Citation: Bis M. 2020. Some Remarks on Glass Seals from the Territory of Poland from the 17 th -19 th Centuries. “Fasciculi Archaeologiae Historicae” 33, 133-157, DOI 10.23858/FAH33.2020.009