Phallus in a frying pan

Description

Although most medieval badges had a meaning of some sort, it is difficult to see this one as anything other than a bit of fun. The badge depicts a skillet or frying pan inside which sits a phallus – perhaps in place of the sausage that we may expect to find there! What’s more, the phallus is hinged, so it will jiggle up and down! The handle of the skillet is modelled in the form of a dragon’s head – a frequently used symbol of evil, perhaps indicating that there is a moralistic warning lurking in the badge. The original on which it is based was found in Bruges.

Late 15th – early 16th centuries.

70 x 20mm approx (including pendant badge).