Lead-tin badges from excavations in Altstadt suburb
- DOI
- 10.5922/sikbfu-2022-3-4
- Pages
- 38-53
Abstract
The article analyzes lead-tin badges of religious and secular character found in the archaeological excavations in the central part of Kaliningrad in 2020. The author describes morphological features and makes the iconographic attribution of the finds. The research identifies some of the finds, namely pilgrimage badges, as those of North German origin. Three of them belong to the cult of the Blessed Virgin, another three badges are associated with pilgrimage sites linked to Eucharistic wonders. An analysis of the icons with religious content resulted in assumptions about the destinations of pilgrimages from medieval Königsberg. Secular badges presumably marked professional affiliation. The examination of lead badges found on the outskirts of Lastadie in Altstadt gives a first outline of the history of the circulation of personal piety items and the profanum signs worn on clothing among the population of medieval Königsberg.