BEK - MEDIEVAL English Horse Harness Pendant. 13th/early 14th Century.

Rare and intriguing English medieval horse harness pendant. 13th/early 14th Century.



ENGLISH MEDIEVAL HORSE HARNESS PENDANTS

FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION.

Mainly 13th and 14th Century.

Coats of arms on copper alloy, with gold, silver and enamel depending on the colours of the arms - they depicted the allegiance of the rider. However, a small proportion were used for decorative purposes only to show status.

Pendants are found in a variety of shapes, usually attached to the harness by means of a separate hinged mount, which might be a horizontal bar with a downward projecting suspension loop, or sometimes a cruciform design. They were often attached to the peytrel - a strap girdling the front of the horse and sometimes also on the horse's forehead, suspended from the upper bridle strap.

These pendants were at the peak of their use in the 13th and 14th century. The fashion faded away when arms became less simple and quartering was introduced.

Most families have been traced and many of them came over with William the Conqueror.



BEK

Arms: (?Gu) a cross recercley (Arg.)

C13th - early C14th

Found in Lincolnshire 2002

Lincolnshire family descended from Walter Bek (called Walter Flandrensis in Doomsday Book).

Came over with William the Conqueror & received from him the lordship of Eresby in Lincolnshire.

From his 3 sons, Henry, Walter and John sprang 3 great Lincolnshire families.

In the C13th & early C14th there were no less than 4 bishops & constable of Lincoln castle.

The pendant has been inspected by The British Museum and has not had any embellishments made to it.



Height: 1.2 inches (3.04cm)

Width: 1 inch (2.54 cm)