CERTIFIED Crusader Knight’s Lead Token/Amulet St. Michael True Cross Antiquity For Sale

Authenticity NoticeThis artifact is certified authentic and will be accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity and Provenance.

Details

• Object: Religious Token / Pilgrim Amulet / Méreau

• Culture: Crusader (Latin East)

• Date: Circa 1100–1291 AD

• Material: Lead-Tin Alloy (Leaden bulla-style casting)

• Form: Discoid token with a historical suspension notch at the 12 o\'clock position

• Size: 20mm

• Region: Jerusalem / Holy Land find

Two-Sided Analysis: Iconography of the Holy LandThis 20mm leaden artifact represents the intersection of military patronage and religious devotion during the Crusades.

• Obverse (The Military Patron): The first side depicts St. Michael the Archangel on horseback. As the commander of the Heavenly Host, St. Michael was the primary military patron of the Crusaders. He is shown in a dynamic \"charging\" posture, often wielding a spear or sword against a serpent or dragon—symbolizing the victory of the Church over its enemies.

• Reverse (The True Cross): The second side features a stylized Cross of Jerusalem or Crux Pattée within a circular border. The central vertical and horizontal arms are flared at the ends, a design synonymous with the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Military Orders. The surrounding field contains remnants of an abbreviated Latin or Greek inscription, likely a prayer for protection (Quis ut Deus or similar).

Overview and Historical ContextTokens like this 20mm leaden \"méreau\" were essential personal items for soldiers and pilgrims in the Latin East. Unlike high-value bronze signets, lead tokens were often distributed at holy sites or by military orders like the Knights Templar as mementos of pilgrimage or as \"identity disks\" for soldiers. St. Michael was specifically invoked for bravery in battle and protection from sudden death. The small notch at the top suggests this was worn as a pendant, kept close to the body as a protective amulet (phylactery) throughout the campaigns in the Holy Land.

Authenticity Check

• Patina: The artifact displays a superb, stable \"Eggshell\" white to grey lead-carbonate patina, characteristic of leaden objects recovered from the alkaline soils of the Levant.

Comparable Examples

1. The Israel Museum, Jerusalem: Collection of Crusader-period lead tokens and bullae from the Old City.

2. The British Museum, London: Accession No. 1901,1115.15 (Crusader pilgrim tokens from the Holy Land).

Further Reading

2. Mitchiner, Michael – Jetons, Medalets and Tokens: The Medieval Period: On the function of lead tokens in religious and military life.