MEDIEVAL PILGRIM BADGE

1400

An incomplete medieval lead alloy pilgrim badge dating to the 15th century. This is the pendant that has been cast three-dimensionally to form a bag pipe that would have been suspended beneath a fleur-de-lys badge on an s-shaped link. There is a suspension loop projecting from the bag pipe. Dimensions: length: 50.52mm; width: 26.20mm; thickness: 12.70mm; weight: 11.96g.Spencer (1998:157) writes: "Flower of innocence, the lily was associated with the Virgin and in particular with one of the episodes in her life, the Annunciation." Spencer (1998:159) continues: "the main purpose of the fleur de lys badges, whatever their devotional significance, seems to have been to provide an attachment for displaying a pendant medallion or trinket... a leaf, miniature bag pipe, or a purse.. It may be there here the pilgrim was given the opportunity to pick his own pendant from a variety of genre material and good luck tokens, thereby sometimes leading to the same juxtaposition of elements of piety and profanity that are to be found in The Canterbury Tales or on many misericords."Reference: Spencer, B. 1998. Pilgrim Souvenirs and Secular Badges. The Stationery Office, London.