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Description: | An incomplete cast lead pilgrim's ampulla of medieval date. Length 29.71 mm; width 31.53 mm; thickness 7.45 mm; weight 20 grams.The ampulla was originally hollow in order to contain holy water from a shrine, but is now broken with the sides pushed inwards. It is broken just below where original suspension loops are likely to have been located, and tapers towards a rounded base. One side is decorated with a scallop shell design, a common feature on pilgrim's ampullae. The scallop shell was originally associated with St James of Santiago de Compostela, but during the medieval period the emblem was adopted by other sanctuaries and became a generic symbol of pilgrimage (Spencer 1998, 247). It is therefore difficult to attribute the ampulla to any particular shrine based on the presence of the scallop design alone.However, the other side of the ampulla appears to depict the single letter I, perhaps set within a shield (though the damage and wear to the artefact makes this a little uncertain). The letter I on this example may refer to St James of Compostela, although there are several other possible candidates. Spencer has suggested that the letter 'I' or the crowned 'I' might be expected to allude to Our Lady of Ipswich. St. Ives is a further possibility, as his cult at Ramsey Abbey (Hunts.) was partly based on the repute of thaumaturgic water. The many St Johns might also be considered. Another possible candidate would be the shrine to St. James at Reading Abbey, where his hand was the principal relic. Spencer recognises all of these as possible options, but suggests that the identification of 'I' with Jesus (as suggested by Bailey (1997, 17)) is unlikely to be one of them (Spencer 1990, 62, 91).
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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