Legal Definitions - sigil

A sigil refers to a distinctive mark, symbol, or an abbreviated form of a signature that serves the same purpose as a traditional seal. It is used to authenticate a document, confirm an agreement, or signify official approval, often in historical legal contexts or by specific officials.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Historical Notary's Mark: In a 17th-century European city, a civil-law notary might have possessed a unique, personalized stamp or a highly stylized initial that they would press onto legal documents such as property deeds or wills. This specific mark, rather than a full handwritten signature or a generic wax seal, would function as their official authentication, confirming the document's validity and their professional involvement in its creation.

  This illustrates a sigil as an abbreviated signature or unique mark used by an official to formally validate a legal document.

• Official's Endorsement on a Decree: Imagine a medieval royal court where a high-ranking minister, responsible for issuing official proclamations, uses a distinct, simplified symbol – perhaps a stylized eagle or a specific geometric pattern – at the bottom of each decree. This symbol acts as his personal seal of authority, indicating that the proclamation genuinely originates from his office and carries the weight of the crown, even without a lengthy, full signature.

  Here, the sigil is a unique symbol representing an official's authority, used to authenticate a formal document.

• Guild Master's Approval: Consider a powerful guild of artisans during the Renaissance. The guild master might have a unique, abbreviated symbol, perhaps a combination of his initials and a specific guild emblem, which he would personally inscribe or stamp on certificates of apprenticeship or approvals for masterwork pieces. This mark would function as his official endorsement, signifying the authenticity and quality approved by the guild's highest authority.

  This example shows a sigil as a personalized, abbreviated mark used to signify official approval and authenticity within a professional organization.