Batai

Batai is the Itrani word for a seal, an important device for many Tranon used as a signature and a stamp of authority.

History

Batainon have been used amongst the Tranon since time immemorial. The use of such seals, for stamping one's name, appears to have begun with the use of pottery, when the wet clay would be stamped with the name of the maker or the owner before being fired. Many wooden products also have the names of their owners carved on them.

Later, with the spread of paper and ink, the batai became a carved device using ink to mark its owner's identity. Pottery stamps, used for wet clay, still exist, but for most purposes the batai is used for many purposes - marking ownership, approving contracts and agreements, and so on. As such batainon are seen as important, treasured items for many of the Tranon.

Materials and Manufacture

Batainon can be made from any sort of material, though stone and hard wood are the favoured materials. A prized piece of white jade or dark green grass-stone, of the right dimensions to make a good seal, can often cost thousands of utanon simlpy because they would make great seals. The carving of these seals is a laborious process, and can either use the original Itrani script or - if the required engraving will take up too much space - make use of a beruseti glyph instead, designed by the commissioner of the seal.