Seal of a medieval cantor discovered on the banks of the Rhine in Basel –

A seal belonging to the cantor of Basel Cathedral at the end of the 13th century was discovered during the restoration project of the Rhine bank wall in Basel, Switzerland.

The seal was discovered last month during underwater archaeological digs at the foot of the Palatinate, an observation deck overlooking the Rhine behind Münster Cathedral. “Pfalz” is derived from the Latin word for palace, and the terrace is named after the bishop’s palace that once adjoined it. The cloister of the cathedral can be entered directly from the portal over the Palatinate.

The pointed oval sealing die is made of brass and is in good condition. It depicts a man wearing ecclesiastical robes standing in front of a pulpit holding a large book. The cantor is the director of a church choir and is responsible for selecting the music, leading the hymns during Mass and singing solo parts. He also served as manager of the liturgical library, holding an important administrative position and responsible for updating the cathedral’s records (deaths, charters, chronicles, etc.).

Around the image on the edge of the seal is the inscription ECCE(LESIA).BASILIEN(SIS) + S(IGILLVM) RVDOLFI.CANTORI, meaning Basel Cathedral, seal of Rudolf Cantor. Existing records indicate that the seal’s owner was cathedral cantor Rudolf Kraft, who lived between 1296 and 1305 at what is now Augustinergasse 8 in Basel, just a minute’s walk from the Palatinate River.

When this seal was used, Basel was not even part of the Swiss Confederation. Two hundred years later, the canton of Basel joined the Confederation in 1501. The renovation of the riverside walls made it possible to reveal the city’s 2,000-year history and the remains of various periods from that time to the present.

The riverbank wall and the Münsterfährbödeli landing are currently being renovated to protect the historic buildings on the Rhine in Basel. The Archaeological Soil Research Team is using metal detectors to conduct systematic inspections of excavated material from the mud. Based on visibility, Basel archaeologists used underwater cameras and drones for the first time. This method allows the most accurate documentation of archaeological structures and finds, even under difficult conditions.

The archaeological discovery at this site is no coincidence. As early as the winter of 1932/33, 580 Roman-era coins and a large number of medieval objects were unearthed during low water. For centuries, waste, rubble and building materials from the Palatinate and the bishop’s palaces were dumped down the slopes into the Rhine. Collapses, such as the Rhine slope collapse in 1346 and the Palatinate collapse in 1502, also caused large amounts of objects to slide into the river.