A rare medieval pilgrim’s ampulla, cast from lead, and decorated with various emblems. These miniature flasks were sold at pilgrimage centres and shrines. They would be filled with holy water or oil and then sealed. The lugs allowed the ampulla to be sewn onto clothing or worn on a cord around the neck, as both souvenir and object of devotion. In Piers Ploughman, Langland describes a pilgrim:

“And hundreds of ampulles,

On his hat seten,

signes of synay,

and shells of Galice”

One side has a ring around a crescent below black-letter 'A - B' conjoined on a cross-hatched field – with difficulty the ligature can be read as 'Maria,' though this is not the usual black-letter convention for that. The perimeter is decorated with hash marks. The other side depicts a window with Rectilinear Gothic style tracery, with widely spaced hatching around the edge. This style of medieval architecture dates to, circa AD 1340-1380, so presumably the ampulla dates to the latter part of the date range. Mitchiner suggests that many ampullae were used in the annual springtime ’Blessing the Fields’ ceremony, in which the Holy Water they contained was sprinkled on the ground to bless the soil in hope of a good harvest. Mitchiner suggests that the ampullae were discarded after they had served this purpose. Others have suggested that the ampullae were buried along with their contents, for a similar purpose. Found by metal detectorist in Hogsthorpe, Lincolnshire. Recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

Length: 55 mm Width: 35 mm

References: Benet's Artefacts of England and the United Kingdom, Third Edition: M24-0209. Michael Mitchiner, Medieval Pilgrim & Secular Badges.

PAS Record: Unique ID: LIN-261961