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LONDON, ENGLAND—BBC News reports that a medieval seal carved with an image of an elephant carrying a war tower on its back has been discovered near the market town of King’s Lynn in eastern England by a metal detectorist. Beverley Nenk of the British Museum thinks the seal was made between 1250 and 1350. Its gold rim is inscribed with a Latin phrase that translates to “armed with a shield, the outlaw dragon is harmful.” The shape of the animal carved into its gemstone center may have been based on reports of elephants seen by pilgrims or crusaders during their travels, Nenk explained. “Few people in medieval England would have seen a live elephant,” she said. To read about a medieval seal stamp unearthed in Denmark, go to "Artifact."
