Openwork badge with bird

An openwork badge from the early 13th century discovered during excavations within the main courtyard of the Pomeranian Dukes' Castle (Zamek Książąt Pomorskich) in Szczecin. The badge is round; in the central part, a bird's silhouette is surrounded by concentric circles, including a row of oval holes. It is made of bright, soft metal, probably tin-lead alloy, using casting and chiselling techniques. The identification of the bird species, and thus the correct interpretation of the symbolic content of the badge, remains an open question. It is sometimes assumed that it is a dove or pigeon, a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christian iconography. It is also assumed that it could be a bird of prey, falcon or eagle and that the Szczecin badge is a Western European import, probably German. Almost identical objects have been found on Wrocław's Ostrów Tumski and in Kamień Pomorski. Their form and artistry are reminiscent of pilgrimage badges, emblems fastened to clothes, headgear or bags, visible signs of pilgrimage to holy places.

Sławomir Słowiński