CODE | Material |
Standard
|
Price | |
oR0550 | see description | Hand-made | 11.50 EUR |
|
How old?: 1250-1425.
Finding place: Dordrecht, Rotterdam, Vlaardingen, Zierikize, London.
Place of provenance: Aachen (Germany)
Details: h.: 42mm, w. 41mm.
Meaning: Pilgrim's badge from Aachen, one of the most popular pilgrimage places in
Europe. Aachen kept not only reliquary of Charlemagne but also many other wonderful
items like Virgin's nightgown, the cloth in which the head of st. John's the Baptist had been
wrapped, st. John's stockings, in which new-born Jesus was wrapped etc. Charlemagne
himself was powerful emperor of Carolingian Dynasty. Lived in years 742-814. He was
known as undefeated commander and eager Christian. He introduced Christianity to many
places in Europe (first he conquered them). This badge is replica of finding from Zierkize
(the Netherlands), dated 1250-1300. Unfortunately I haven't figured out yet what does
letters "+VIH + YIT" mean.
Pewter badges were first introduced as pilgrim souvenirs from different places of
Christian cult around Europe and the Holy Land. The earliest findings of this type comes from
about second half of XII th. century, fall of their popularity is beginning of XVI th. century.
They're closely connected with development of pilgrimages among Christians. Pilgrim
badges were a solid prove of finishing a long journey to places were once saints lived. About
XIV th. century secular badges also appeared.
ATTENTION: dates showed in this catalogue tells only how old was the material used for the
original. It doesn't mean that the badge was used only then.
The pewter badges as well as their descriptions are provided to us by Bartosz So³tysiak who bases them on historical sources.