Bezegeling

Bezegeling is the act of affixing an official seal to a document in order to certify its authenticity, authority, or validity. The term derives from the Dutch word for seal (zegel) with the prefix be-, which in this context indicates the action of performing or completing the act of sealing.

Historically, bezegeling was a central feature of administrative and legal processes. Charters, decrees, contracts, and other acts issued by rulers, universities, religious institutions, or civil authorities were sealed to publicize their legitimacy and to deter forgery. The seal often represented the authority of the issuing institution and could consist of a signet ring impression, a stamped seal, or an embossed device on parchment or paper.

In contemporary practice, bezegeling remains relevant in certain jurisdictions and ceremonial contexts. Notaries, government agencies, and some corporations may still apply seals to authentic acts such as deeds, official certificates, or process-verbal records. In many modern systems, the function of authentication increasingly relies on digital signatures and electronic authentication methods, but physical bezegeling persists in ceremonial, archival, or legally required settings where a tangible seal is mandated or preferred to symbolize formal binding force.

See also: zegel, notaris, akte, versekelen, authentiek.