Hierarchy classification:

1. top of the aat hierarchies
2. Objects Facet
3. Visual and Verbal Communication (hierarchy name)
4. Information Forms (hierarchy name)
5. information forms (objects)
6. document genres
7. [documents by function]
8. records (documents)
9. [records by provenance]
10. church records
11. [church records by form or function]

Anotations

Scope note:

Particular types of formal documents issued by the pope and sealed with a bulla (a round, usually leaden seal) or sealed with a red-ink imprint of the device on the bulla. Papal bulls were originally issued by the pope for many kinds of public communication, but since the 15th century have been reserved only for particular types of solemn written communication in which the pope refers to himself as "episcopus servus servorum Dei," meaning "Bishop, Servant of the Servants of God." Scholars may use the term to describe any elaborate historical papal document issued in the form of a decree, privilege, and sometimes in the form of a letter.