This gold pendant was found in the nineteenth century by a wagoner at the village of Matlaske in Norfolk. He saw the object sticking out of the ground as he drove his cart through a gateway. It was identified by experts as the front section of a reliquary. Its intriguing design provides insights into late medieval beliefs and customs, notably pilgrimages and the fear of disease.
The village of Matlaske, Norfolk
late AD 1400s
Medieval Christian
gold, with black niello inlay
height: 3.1 cm
Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery
(Please always check with the museum that the object is on display before travelling)