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PILGRIM BADGE
Unique ID: SF-C555E9
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An incomplete high-tin copper-alloy early post-medieval pilgrim badge, dating to AD 1450-1550. It is an octagonal plate with engrailed sides. The front face has an engraved design depicting a nimbed male figure, standing with his hands behind his back. Apart from a loincloth, the figure is naked; the body is pierced through by two arrows. On the left stands an archer, his bow drawn and his arrow pointing at the captive; at their feet there is a quiver full of arrows. The design is bordered by an incised cabled line, which runs along the edges of the badge. The back face has the remains of an attachment loop at its centre; an iron fragment is still attached to the broken loop.
The scene depicted on the badge it is clearly a scene of martyrdom, which can be associated with both St Edmunds and St Sebastian. While the cult of St Edmunds finds local roots in England the cult of St Sebastian might refer to the Abbey of Saint-Médard de Soissons, in France, where some relics of the Saint were brought in the ninth century.
Diameter: 29.51 mm; thickness, excluding the loop: 1.86 mm; Weight: 4.85 g
For the object type see Cahanier (2017, 23) type 51. Cf with NMS-3D99F3, WMID-C2E4D4. For a close design see BH-589BA2 although it is a different kind of badge. This object has been published in Burnett and Webley (2021, 293-294).
Find of note status
This has been noted as an interesting find by the recorder.
Class:
St Sebastian
Sub class: button
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1450
Date to: Circa AD 1550
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 1.86 mm
Weight: 4.85 g
Diameter: 29.51 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 6th August 2019
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: Kunera no. 26096
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Surface Treatment: Incised or engraved or chased
Spatial metadata
Region: Eastern (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Hertfordshire (County)
District: North Hertfordshire (District)
To be known as: Reed
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burnett, L. and Webley, R. | 2021 | Report of the Portable Antiquities Scheme 2019 | London | SPMA | 293-294 | ||
| Cahanier, S. | 2017 | Les boutons-enseignes: un groupe original d’enseignes religieuses des XVe et XVIe siècles | Turnhout | Brepols | 23 | 51 |
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Timeline of associated dates
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