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Medieval & Early Modern Europe · c. 800 – 1800

Pilgrim badges

Meaning

A pilgrim badge showed the shrine visited: Becket's head for Canterbury, the scallop for Santiago, the Virgin for Walsingham, the keys for Rome. It was proof of the journey and a piece of the saint's protection.

Intent

Pilgrims pinned them to hats and cloaks on the way home, to show they were under a saint's protection on the road, and afterwards kept them, nailed them to doors, sewed them into books, or threw them into rivers as offerings. Some were believed to heal, having touched the shrine.

Significance

Pilgrim badges were the first mass-produced souvenirs in Europe, and tens of thousands have been dredged from the Thames and Dutch rivers. They are a vivid record of popular religion and include parodies and erotic badges that mocked the whole business.

History

Badges appear in the 12th century (the Santiago scallop is among the earliest), peak in the 14th and 15th centuries, and decline with the Reformation in the 16th. Canterbury, Walsingham, Rome, Santiago, Aachen and Rocamadour produced them in huge numbers.

Making yours
2–8 cm openwork cast in pewter (lead-tin) from two-part stone moulds, with an integral pin or sewing loops. Easily recreated in soapstone moulds.
Medieval & Early Modern Europe: the tradition

Medieval Europe held two protective systems at once: the Church's sacramentals (relics, blessed wax, saints' medals, written prayers) and an older 'natural magic' of stones, herbs and animal parts inherited from Pliny and the lapidaries of Marbode of Rennes (c. 1090) and Albertus Magnus. Pilgrimage produced millions of cheap lead badges. Renaissance courts wore toadstones and bezoars set in gold, and Protestant reformers attacked both relics and charms. In Catholic Bavaria, Austria, Italy and Spain the folk tradition survived into the 20th century, recorded by collectors like Leopold Kriss-Rettenbeck and Rudolf Kriss, whose collections are now in Munich, and by Walter Hildburgh, who gave thousands of Spanish and Italian amulets to the V&A.

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St James the GreaterSt James the GreaterSantiago de Compostela · ca. 1600-1700Two carved jet pilgrim badges, Spanish, V&A MuseumTwo carved jet pilgrim badges, Spanish, V&A MuseumVictoria and Albert Museum · ca. 1913Two electrotypes of a Dutch pilgrim badgeTwo electrotypes of a Dutch pilgrim badgeMEDIEVAL AMPULLAMEDIEVAL AMPULLAUnited Kingdom · 1350Badge with Head of John the BaptistBadge with Head of John the Baptist14 th century date QS:P571,+1350-00-00T00:00:00Z/7Badge with the Virgin and ChildBadge with the Virgin and ChildMEDIEVAL AMPULLAMEDIEVAL AMPULLAUnited Kingdom · 1350Badge with Martyrdom of Saint EdmundBadge with Martyrdom of Saint Edmund15 th century date QS:P571,+1450-00-00T00:00:00Z/7MEDIEVAL PILGRIM BADGEMEDIEVAL PILGRIM BADGEUnited Kingdom · 1300Saint Thomas Beckett Pilgrim BadgeSaint Thomas Beckett Pilgrim Badge14 th century date QS:P571,+1350-00-00T00:00:00Z/7 ( Middle Ages era QS:P2348,Q12554 )MEDIEVAL PILGRIM BADGEMEDIEVAL PILGRIM BADGEUnited Kingdom · 1200Pilgrim's Badge with Saints Peter and PaulPilgrim's Badge with Saints Peter and Paul13 th century date QS:P571,+1250-00-00T00:00:00Z/7 ( Middle Ages era QS:P2348,Q12554 )MEDIEVAL PILGRIM BADGEMEDIEVAL PILGRIM BADGEUnited Kingdom · 1400Pilgrim's BadgePilgrim's Badge15 th century date QS:P571,+1450-00-00T00:00:00Z/7ScriptorialScriptorialAshmolean Museum, medieval DSCF0155Ashmolean Museum, medieval DSCF0155Badge of Edward II or John the BaptistBadge of Edward II or John the Baptist14th–15th centuryBadge with Crowned LetterBadge with Crowned Letter14th–15th centuryBadge with Richard IIBadge with Richard II14 th century date QS:P571,+1350-00-00T00:00:00Z/7Pilgrim's BadgePilgrim's Badge14 th century date QS:P571,+1350-00-00T00:00:00Z/7Badge with Hart of Richard IIBadge with Hart of Richard II14th–15th centuryBadge with Lily of PurityBadge with Lily of Purity14th–15th centuryBadge with Tudor RoseBadge with Tudor Rose15 th century date QS:P571,+1450-00-00T00:00:00Z/7Pilgrim's BadgePilgrim's Badge13 th century date QS:P571,+1250-00-00T00:00:00Z/7 ( Middle Ages era QS:P2348,Q12554 )Pilgrim token, found at Hagenmarkt, Braunschweig, early 13th century AD, tin, lead - Braunschweigisches LandesmuseumPilgrim token, found at Hagenmarkt, Braunschweig, early 13th century AD, tin, lead - Braunschweigisches LandesmuseumBadge with Hood of Saint DorothyBadge with Hood of Saint Dorothy15 th century date QS:P571,+1450-00-00T00:00:00Z/7Badge with Purse of Henry VIBadge with Purse of Henry VI15 th century date QS:P571,+1450-00-00T00:00:00Z/7D'Oiselet getijdenboekD'Oiselet getijdenboekca. 1440 - 1460Saint Thomas Beckett Pilgrim BadgeSaint Thomas Beckett Pilgrim Badge14 th century date QS:P571,+1350-00-00T00:00:00Z/7 ( Middle Ages era QS:P2348,Q12554 )Pilgrim BadgePilgrim Badge13 th century date QS:P571,+1250-00-00T00:00:00Z/7 ( Middle Ages era QS:P2348,Q12554 )Pilgrim's BadgePilgrim's Badge15 th century date QS:P571,+1450-00-00T00:00:00Z/7Badge with Bust of Crowned BecketBadge with Bust of Crowned Becket15 th century date QS:P571,+1450-00-00T00:00:00Z/7Badge with Head of ChristBadge with Head of Christ14th–15th centuryBadge with Madonna and InfantBadge with Madonna and Infantlate 15th–early 16th centuryPilgrim's Badge of the TrinityPilgrim's Badge of the Trinity13 th century date QS:P571,+1250-00-00T00:00:00Z/7 ( Middle Ages era QS:P2348,Q12554 )Badge of Henry VIBadge of Henry VI15 th century date QS:P571,+1450-00-00T00:00:00Z/7Badge with FigureBadge with Figure14th–15th centuryBadge with Shrine of Edward the ConfessorBadge with Shrine of Edward the Confessor15 th century date QS:P571,+1450-00-00T00:00:00Z/7Pilgrim Badge with Saint AdrianPilgrim Badge with Saint AdrianKulturhistorisk Museum, Oslo, Norway. Medieval Exhibiton - Faith & superstition (pilgrim's badges, rune wooden amulets, crosses, necklace, metal rosary, ointment jars, amulet bag, lead tablet, lead crKulturhistorisk Museum, Oslo, Norway. Medieval Exhibiton - Faith & superstition (pilgrim's badges, rune wooden amulets, crosses, necklace, metal rosary, ointment jars, amulet bag, lead tablet, lead crLead alloy Medieval Pilgrim badgeLead alloy Medieval Pilgrim badgeMedieval Lead Pilgrim BadgeMedieval Lead Pilgrim BadgeMedieval Pilgrim BadgeMedieval Pilgrim BadgeMedieval lead pilgrim badge of Thomas BecketMedieval lead pilgrim badge of Thomas BecketMedieval pilgrim's souvenir: AmpullaMedieval pilgrim's souvenir: AmpullaMedieval pilgrim badgeMedieval pilgrim badgeMedieval pilgrim badges 1Medieval pilgrim badges 1PILGRIM BADGEPILGRIM BADGEPilgrim badges of St Prokop, 14-15th c, exh. Benedictines NG PraguePilgrim badges of St Prokop, 14-15th c, exh. Benedictines NG PraguePilgrims sign: Saint Thomas of Canterbury.Pilgrims sign: Saint Thomas of Canterbury.Schatkamer St-Servaasbasiliek, Maastricht, pelgrimsteken St-Servaas 4Schatkamer St-Servaasbasiliek, Maastricht, pelgrimsteken St-Servaas 4Silver-gilt pilgrim badgeSilver-gilt pilgrim badgeSportelleSportelleAn incomplete Late Medieval lead alloy pilgrim badge of the Virgin Mary and child, dating to the late 15th century.An incomplete Late Medieval lead alloy pilgrim badge of the Virgin Mary and child, dating to the late 15th century.CoronaPilgrimInsigniaCoronaPilgrimInsigniaCroix de pélerinage Musée de LaonCroix de pélerinage Musée de LaonDUR-8C5E9ADUR-8C5E9AGlocken St. Peter (Großen-Linden)Glocken St. Peter (Großen-Linden)Illustration 3 médaille saint GuérinIllustration 3 médaille saint GuérinIncomplete lead alloy pilgrim badge, late Medieval - early post medieval, of a seated figure, facing front.Incomplete lead alloy pilgrim badge, late Medieval - early post medieval, of a seated figure, facing front.

More from Medieval & Early Modern Europe: Reliquary pendants & devotional lockets · Agnus Dei waxes · Magic & inscribed rings · Natural magic: toadstones, bezoars, serpent tongues · Fraisenketten & Charivari (charm chains) · Breverl & paper blessings · Coral teething rattles & child charms · Coral amulets · Wax & metal votive offerings · Saints’ medals & protective crosses · Other & unsorted Medieval
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