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PILGRIM BADGE
Unique ID: PUBLIC-48C99B
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An early post-medieval copper-alloy diamond-shaped foil pilgrim badge of St George and the Dragon. The foil depicts in stamped relief (repoussé) a haloed St George kneeling in prayer facing right towards a cross. St George appears to be kneeling on the dragon. The dragon's tail can be seen on the left side of the saint and its head on his right, two of the dragon's clawed feet are seen emerging from under the saint in the lower quarter of the diamond. The central field is surrounded by a border of rope twist band and then a band of alternating diamonds, five pointed stars and crosses, with a further rope twist band around the edge. There is a trace of solder on the back in the central position. Spencer (1998, 187) postulates that a copper-alloy wire would have been attached. It has suffered damage to the outer border edge with some parts of it now missing; the central field containing George and the dragon remains predominantly intact.
It measures 41.58mm (length) x 31.94mm (width) x 0.81mm (thickness) and weighs 3.7g.
These foil badges would have been sewn directly on to clothing, as can be seen on this example with needle-pierced holes around the border. Parallels are illustrated and discussed in Spencer (1998, 187; refs. 206j, 206k and 206l.) and are dated to late 15th to mid 16th century.
Similar examples of this type of brass foil badge on the database are LON-E25B40 and LON-69C4E5.
Class: St George
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1400
Date to: Circa AD 1560
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 41.58 mm
Width: 31.94 mm
Thickness: 0.81 mm
Weight: 3.7 g
Rally details.
This object was found at Greenwich foreshore survey 2016
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: FGW04 RC 123
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
Region: London (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Greater London Authority (Greater London Authority)
District: Greenwich (London Borough)
Parish or ward: Greenwich West (London Borough Ward)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TQ3877
Four figure Latitude: 51.47513765
Four figure longitude: -0.01433411
1:25K map: TQ3877
1:10K map: TQ37NE
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer, B. | 1998 | Medieval finds from excavations in London: 7, Pilgrim souvenirs and secular badges | London | Museum of London, The Stationary Office | 187 | 206j, 206k and 206l |
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Timeline of associated dates
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