Pilgrim sign Our Lady of Tombelaine, 15th century, bronze

Product description

This pilgrim sign shows the crowned Mary, seated in an artfully patterned chair dress, with a lily as a flower of innocence on her left and the fully dressed Christ child on her right. The image refers to the 'Lady of Tombelaine', named after the islet of Tombelaine near Mont Saint-Michel in France, where a church dedicated to Marian worship became a place of pilgrimage.

The original, dating from the early 15th century, was found in Salisbury, England and was probably brought to England as a souvenir of a pilgrimage. Pilgrim signs were produced in large numbers in the Middle Ages and sold at pilgrimage sites as visible evidence of the journey; they were usually worn on the hat. Many specimens have been found in medieval watercourses, possibly deliberately thrown into the water by pilgrims as an offering.

An attractive souvenir for those who want to portray the medieval pilgrimage culture.