BADGE

Medieval (14th to 15th centuries) probable badge/mount: The lead or lead alloy uniface artefact is in the form of a horse and rider. The badge is damaged and incomplete, but the horses head is upright in profile. The legs and body of the horse are damaged and folded over it self so any decoration or definition is not visible. The horse has a rider, whose head is missing, and only the torso and arms are visible. The torso faces outwards and appears to be wearing a doublet which has a column of buttons depicted by pellets, each in the centre of a horizontal ridge. One arm appears to be rested on the figures hip, the other arm is slightly outstretched, in front of the horses neck and just beyond before being broken. Above the hand on the hip, on the side of the torso there is short horizontal ribs which may be decoration from the clothing, or representing an object such as a sword or cross, but this is not convincing as it does not extend above the shoulder. All the breaks are not recent and the damage probably occurred in the plough soil. The reverse of the badge has no obvious mounting point, and is decoration with a fine high-relief cross hatching. The badge measures 35.92mm across, 24.48mm tall and weighs 14.94g.

The badge is more likely to be a secular badge rather than a pilgrim souvenir. Regarding pilgrim souvenirs the examples with horse and rider includes St. George on horseback slaying a dragon, Thomas Becket returning from exile on horseback, Henry VI on horseback holding a sword,

St George holds a sword and generally appears to be wearing armour which the recorded example does not (Lewis, 2014:67). Thomas Becket wears the clothes of an Archbishop and tends to hold a pastoral cross and is making a blessing (Lewis, 2014:83) and Henry VI is wearing a doublet and holding a sword, but these are very rare badges (Lewis, 2014:118). Other badges depicting a horse and rider are common, depicting a hunting theme. These badges may have celebrated Spring, as hunting was associated with May in the Medieval calendar (Spencer, 1990:108) and were also used a livery badge as well as celebrating Spring and the sport of hunting and falconry (ibid).

The style of the recorded badge is slightly crude and is more likely to be a secular badge. These types of badges were popular in the 14^th to 15^th century.

Lewis, M., 2014. Saints and their Badges Essex: Greenlight Publishing

Spencer, B., 1990. Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum Medieval Catalogue Part 2. Salisbury: Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum