Little lead badge lost by a pilgrim

Pilgrims badge (13th or 14th century), Arbroath Signal Tower Museum

THE NORTH-EAST Fife coastal town of St Andrews was a haven for the relics of Scotland’s patron Saint Andrew, having been firmly established as a pilgrimage site more than 1,000 years ago.

Thousands of pilgrims made a journey to the area each year up until the Reformation.

A route to and from St Andrews passed through Easthaven in Angus and the badge held at Arbroath’s Signal Tower Museum survives as a relic of this pilgrimage.

The modest, tiny object was discovered at Easthaven and, like many archaeological finds of recent times, was recovered d by someonee using a metal detector, claimed as treasure t r ove and allocated to Angu s Council Museums.

The badge is made of lead, and has been modified from its original badge appearance to be re- used as a Christian crucifix.

On one side of the badge is the head and upper body of Christ on the Cross, above which are the letters — N R. This forms part of a Latin inscription — Jesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (which translates as Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews).

The rear side also shows the head of Christ, and has a similar, related inscription, but this time along with the stem of a chalice.

This fascinating little object forms part of the Arbroath Signal Tower Museum’s collections but is not currently on public display.

Pictures: John Stevenson. Top: theh bbadge,d reshapedhd intoi a crucifixifi with a £1 coin for scale. Bottom: detail of the badge.