Ancient Product Marking: Signs of the Times

In ancient times small marks were commonly used on goods. Some of these marks were maker’s marks by the artisan or workshop that produced the goods. Others were merchant marks identifying the seller or shipper. While such marks identify the source of the products, over time some appeared to function as a promise of a certain level of quality or method of production. However, when medieval guilds took over the regulation of the use of such marks, they generally required marks be registered with the appropriate guilds and that individual artisans not promote their own marks. Only guild marks could be promoted for the quality of goods they represented.