Medieval Silver-Gilt Pilgrims Badge

$1,751.58

A Medieval silver-gilt circular badge featuring a carefully incised image of St Catherine. She is presented standing with her head slightly bowed down. In her left arm, she is holding a spiked wheel and, in the right hand, a sword. Behind her is a textured background encompassed by a band. To the outer edge of the badge is the legend ‘Drink of Catherine’. The reverse is unadorned.

Date: Circa 14th-15th century AD
Condition: Fine condition, the badge is slightly misshapen due to age along with a minor crack and scratch to the reverse.

In stock

Saint Catherine of Alexandria was one of the most popular early Christian saint martyrs and a patron of philosophers and scholars. She was said to have been born from a noble family in Egypt. She was well knowledgeable having learnt many languages, science, philosophy and medicine. St Catherine was an independent woman, she refused to marry and devoted herself to converting the Roman people to Christianity along with challenging the anti-Christian emperor Maximian. Although she managed to convert many of the emperor’s philosophers, he retaliated by burning them to death. She continued with her work including converting the empress and soldiers. This only angered Maximian which led to her torture on a spiked wheel. However, when she touched it, it miraculously broke (hence she is often depicted with a spiked wheel). St Catherine was later beheaded by order of the emperor.

Weight 4.34 g
Dimensions W 2.9 cm
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