Stamp piston

The stamp of the seal of Gryfice, which dates back to around 1800, is a very interesting object due to the way the town's coat of arms is depicted on it. The seal features a Gothic escutcheon with a griffin rampant, facing right, holding in its talons a heraldic lily. The Griffin, a family sign of the Pomeranian Griffin dynasty, refers to Duke Wartislaw III (ca. 1211-1264), who founded the city in 1262, and Duke Barnim I (ca. 1210-1278), who gave it the official name – Greifenberg. These days, the griffin is depicted against a white field, but according to a pastor and Pomeranian historian Ludwig W. Brüggemann (1743-1817), in the original variant it was against a blue field, above the image of Rega – the river on which the town is located. This theory seems to be confirmed by this seal, on which the engraver has depicted the escutcheon in blue thanks to hachuring. The lily – now golden and originally white, was added in 1334 according to Brüggemann. Other sources claim it was added in 1508 to symbolise purity and innocence – the flower is dedicated to the Mother of God. It refers to the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is located in the city. The escutcheon is topped by a crown with mantling and a crest, characteristic of knightly heraldry; the sign of the lily is repeated around the banner. It was placed there to ennoble the coat of arms of Gryfice, just like the supporters – wild men with maces, symbolising the power of wild nature, which were part of the coat of arms of the Duchy of Pomerania. Below that, the title of the seal was added in three lines. The seal – engraved in bronze – was attached to a turned wooden handle, with a reinforcing ring of cow horn.

Mieszko Pawłowski