Carlos Solis
A rare seal belonging to Rudolf Kraft, the cantor of Basel Cathedral, was discovered during engineering work beneath the famous Pfalz terrace in Basel. In addition to the seal, archaeologists also unearthed Roman coins and remains of a 19th-century public bath. Researchers are calling it one of the most significant finds in recent years.
The brass seal, measuring 4.8 centimeters and inscribed with ECCE(LESIA). BASILIEN(SIS) + S(IGILLVM) RVDOLFI.CANTORI, belonged to Rudolf Kraft. From 1296 to 1305, he held the position of domcantor at the Basel Cathedral, where he oversaw liturgical singing, provided musical education for the clergy, and performed administrative duties, including organizing religious ceremonies. This esteemed post combined musical authority with institutional responsibility, making it central to the spiritual and cultural life of medieval Basel.
What else is known about underwater discoveries?
Finding an ancient seal in such excellent condition is an extraordinary rarity. Archaeologists have called it a “happy find,” and it sheds new light on the city’s religious and administrative history.
Researchers also stumbled upon several ancient Roman coins, including a silver siliqua of Emperor Gratian that was well preserved; it was minted between 375 and 378 AD. The coins provide scholars with information about ancient river trade routes and daily life along the Rhine, Arkeonews reported.
In this section of the river, archaeologists previously uncovered remarkable artifacts. For instance, during the winter of 1932-1933, researchers found 580 Roman coins and numerous medieval items.
The archaeologists who retrieved the cantor’s seal from the riverbed also uncovered the remains of Basel’s first public swimming pool, built in 1831. The discovery is a reminder of when the Rhine began shifting from a transportation artery to a place for leisure and entertainment.
To document and recover fragile items from the river, the Basel-Stadt Archaeological Service used underwater cameras, drones, and metal detectors. These tools helped them explore the hard-to-reach zone between the shore and the riverbed, a landscape shaped over centuries by currents, sediment, and human activity.
