Small heraldic ornaments, also known as armorial pendants, were of popular use during the late Medieval period. Horse harness pendants come in a variety of shapes including lozenge, square, circular, quatrefoil, trefoil, and a shield. They were attached to the harness through the incorporation of a separate hinged mount, as seen on this fine example. The heraldic charges on these pendants are mostly designed and decorated with enamels and gilding.
The lion is a very common motif in heraldic imagery. It was a traditional symbol of courage, nobility, royalty, strength, and bravery. The many variations of heraldic lions are differentiated by the lion’s positions, referred to as ‘attitudes’. For example, the Lion of England denotes a lion passant guardant. ‘Passant’ refers to a walking position with one fore paw raised and all others on the ground, and ‘guardant’ indicates a frontal head.
