The Portable Antiquities Scheme also released its latest report, which covers the year 2018. Norwich Castle Museum hopes to acquire the item. This likely meaning ‘armed with a shield, the outlaw dragon is harmful’, which suggests a mythic link between elephants and dragons – it was said that a dragon is an elephant’s only foe. The seal matrix also has an inscription, which reads x PARMAT EST ‧ WEVEI ‧ DRA OBEST. The image may have been based on reports of these fabulous and exotic creatures from travellers or pilgrims returning from the East or from the Crusades, or from descriptions and images in bestiaries and other manuscripts.” Few people in medieval England would have seen a live elephant. It is represented with a war-tower, or howdah, on its back, which subsequently became known as the ‘elephant and castle’ of heraldic iconography. “The motif engraved on the gemstone is a rare portrayal of an elephant from the medieval period, which is found mainly on objects signifying wealth and status, such as carved ivory gaming pieces and heraldic badges. “This gold counter-seal, or private seal, would have been used to seal letters or documents, and demonstrated the wealth, status and education of its owner, adds Beverley Nenk. The castle reflects the animal’s close association with the east, where Indians and Persians were said to use such structures to fight from in battle. Elephants appear in examples of early medieval art as a symbol of fidelity, gentleness, great strength and longevity, including Romanesque sculpture and Byzantine silks. Dating between AD 12, it is engraved with an elephant carrying a castle or howdah on its back. Photo courtesy PAS / Norfolk County CouncilĪlso discovered in 2020 was a gold medieval seal matrix, found near King’s Lynn in Norfolk. Plans are underway for the Wakefield Museum to acquire the artefact. As such, it demonstrates the humour often found in medieval material culture.” The mount may be a satirical reference to cowardly or non-chivalric behaviour of opponents in battle, or as a parody of the upper or knightly classes. Snails are often depicted in the margins of medieval illuminated decorated manuscripts and are thought to symbolise cowardice, and this may be the intended meaning. “The image of the praying knight emerging from a snail shell atop a goat implies an element of parody or satire. Slugs, snails, snakes, dragons, Kraken, animal-headed men, etc.“This unusual silver-gilt mount may once have been attached to a leather belt or strap, or perhaps worn as a badge,” explains Beverley Nenk, Later Medieval Collections at Curator at the British Museum. How does one draw that which defies description? With the closest real-world comparisons. It’s evidence of the ancient and deep-rooted war against the Old Ones.Because snails are even deadlier than killer rabbits.It’s allegorical: the knights fought boredom daily: no Internet, no TV, it was the old, olden times.Snails represent sloth, one of the 7 deadly sins.Earth was invaded by giant alien snails, and those pictures are the only surviving record of it.Those rebelling against them are doomed to fail.
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