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Description: | A complete cast lead pilgrim badge of Medieval date. The badge is in the form of what appears to be St. George slaying the dragon. The central figure, presumably St. George, is depicted standing wearing a crown. He has an oval face, pellets for eyes and is possibly bearded. His left arm appears to be missing, and he wears a long flowing costume. This is depicted with curved lines at the collar, several vertical lines for folds of the costume on the chest, a broad double transverse belt and multiple vertical folds beneath the belt to the feet. The figure's right arm is pointed downwards and holds a vertical sceptre or spear. This in turn pierces an object that the figure is standing on, which appears to be that of a dragon. The creature has a curving, oval body with tail to the right that curves upwards to a loop and has multiple transverse ridges. Along his back are at least three surviving triangular projections and at the feet of the figure two short legs project upwards, terminating in feet with three toes. The body sppears to have decoration comprising multiple bands of dots and diagonal grooves. At the head end, close to the spear, the form is less certain although a slightly open oval snout can perhaps be seen as well as potential oval or pointed ears. The back face of the badge is flat and undecorated. It has a vertical casting seam with a triangular hook at the head end, and an incomplete second hook or catch piece at the foot end. The entire object measures 35.27mm in length, 23.91mm in width, 8.22mm in thickness at head (2.02mm at plate) and 4.92g in weight.This is a pilgrim badge of later Medieval date. The standing figure appears to be that of St. George, standing on a dragon that he is spearing, the vertical spear perhaps just visible in his right hand. Similar badges are noted from London (Spencer, 1998: pp. 186-188). Spencer notes that the cult of St. George was particularly associated with Windsor and by the 15th and 16th centuries had become a symbol of English nationalism and military prowess, St. George displacing St. Edward the Confessor and St. Edmund as England's patron saint. Similar badges are noted from Salisbury and probably connected to pilgrimage to Windsor (Spencer, 1990:pp. 52-53, nos. 148-150). If this does indeed depict St. George and the dragon, then the parallels would all suggest a probable 15th to 16th century AD date for the current object.
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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