Astrological amulet?

Under the title “Mediæval satire?” you describe and show a silver-gilt object as “depicting a knight emerging from a snail shell on the back of a goat” [ FT406:12]. I’m no expert on molluscs or cephalopods, but the “snail” looks like a nautilus to me. Unlike their extinct relatives, the ammonites, nautili are still found swimming in modern seas, and fossils of both are found in huge numbers. They

have made their way into folklore as beheaded snakes or dragons.

Hmmm… a knight and a dragon? I’m reminded of Adrienne Mayor’s theory that fossils could have inspired monsters of Greek myth (see the Corinthian vase showing Hercules shooting at the head of a monster, or the feature suggesting protoceratops bones and eggs from the central Asian steppes might have led to tales of griffins – FT146:25, 170:50-55).

I was also intrigued by the idea that snails might symbolise cowardice. This can’t be due to their making a hasty getaway; maybe it’s their tendency to hide in their little houses, but that would make the third little pig who built his house of bricks craven rather than clever. Given the knight’s gesture

of prayer, my guess is that the mediæval token featured in FT is an emblem of George and the dragon (riding home with/on his trophy after successful combat?)

However, it might be part of a set of astrological amulets, showing Draco the dragon, Capricornus the sea-goat, and perhaps Perseus portrayed as a knight. So the dragon here might be the sea monster. If a maiden chained to a cliff and a winged horse turn up, that would clinch it. Other theories are available at all leading retailers. Owen Whiteoak

London