The Seal of Baltimore is the official government emblem of the City of Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. The current seal was adopted for use in 1827. The seal is in the shape of an ellipse with the image of the Battle Monument featured in its centre. Around the inner edge of the ellipse are the words CITY OF BALTIMORE, while under the image of the Battle Monument is the year 1797, the year in which the city was first incorporated. Colour versions of the seal are in Black and Gold, representative of the colours of the coat of arms of the Calvert family, a member of whom, Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, founded the colony of Maryland. Seal of the City of Baltimore File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A view of the Baltimore skyline from above. ... The ellipse and some of its mathematical properties. ... The Lord Baltimore Cæcilius (Cecil) Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (August 8, 1605 – November 30, 1675), inherited the grant by Charles I of England of the new colony of Maryland on the death of his father George in 1632. ...