Medieval, Crusaders lead Pendant with Inscription - 36 mm (No reserve price)

Medieval Crusader Lead Pendant with Inscription Culture / Period: Medieval, Crusaders Date / Period: 10th–12th century A.D. Material: Lead Dimensions: 36 mm Condition: Good condition No shipping outside the European Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within the European Union before placing a bid. Provenance information: Object Registration ID: 766 The current owner purchased this object from a reputable Dutch numismatic auction house in Schiedam, the Netherlands. Due to privacy regulations, the name of the previous owner could not be disclosed. No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner. Background Information: This medieval lead pendant belongs to a group of devotional badges and pilgrim pendants produced between the 10th and 12th centuries. Cast with an integral suspension loop, it bears a raised inscription within a circular border. Although the lettering is partially worn and cannot be interpreted with certainty, inscriptions of this type commonly consisted of abbreviated invocations, blessings, or references to saints and sacred places. Lead-alloy devotional pendants became widespread throughout medieval Europe and the Crusader period. They were inexpensive objects that allowed pilgrims, travellers, and ordinary believers to carry a visible expression of their faith. Such pendants were often acquired during pilgrimages to important religious centres or distributed as devotional souvenirs connected with churches, monasteries, or shrines. During the era of the Crusades, pilgrimage to Jerusalem and other sacred sites expanded significantly, while established pilgrimage destinations throughout Europe also flourished. Small lead badges and pendants travelled over great distances with their owners, reflecting the extensive movement of people, religious ideas, and trade across the medieval world. These objects were produced in specialised workshops using reusable moulds, enabling large numbers of affordable devotional items to be cast quickly. Their simple material was deliberate: lead alloys were inexpensive, easy to cast, and accessible to pilgrims from all levels of society.

Estimate:$235.24

View all items fromCatawikiorAncient Art