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Gold medieval head pendant, British-made and individually hand-cast in Leeds — exact historical reproduction adapted from a Scottish find
Gold medieval head pendant showing a sculpted human face and three-dimensional form — adapted from a Scottish historical find
Gold medieval head pendant showing heavy-lidded eyes, a bold nose and smiling mouth — adapted from a Scottish historical find
Gold medieval head pendant with a stylised human face and pendant bail — adapted from a Scottish historical find
Gold medieval head pendant showing the raised facial features and surviving terminal form — adapted from a Scottish historical find
Gold medieval head pendant showing the sculpted profile and pendant loop — adapted from a Scottish historical find
Original medieval human-form terminal artefact with dark patina and sculpted features, found in Scotland — source of the pendant reproductionOriginal artefact — not for sale
Original medieval human-form terminal artefact showing its three-dimensional face and surviving stem, found in Scotland — source of the pendant reproductionOriginal artefact — not for sale
Original medieval human-form terminal artefact with heavy-lidded eyes, bold nose and smiling mouth, found in Scotland — source of the pendant reproductionOriginal artefact — not for sale
British Historical Jewellery

Scottish Medieval Head Pendant

Sale price£1,503.00
Material:

Material

A medieval head pendant preserving a Scottish human-form find, adapted from a probable mount or terminal into wearable jewellery.

Crafted for the Present:

  • Museum-Quality Historical Reproduction: An exact historical reproduction of the surviving Scottish find, preserving its distinctive human-form detail.
  • Individually Hand-Cast in Leeds: Individually hand-cast and finished at our Leeds Corn Exchange workshop.
  • Approved and Hallmarked: Approved and hallmarked by the London Assay Office in the precious metal selected.

The History of the Find:

Period: 13th–15th Century (Late Medieval)

Find Location: Scotland (regional find)

Style: Anthropomorphic human-form terminal or mount

Significance of the Design:

This remarkable piece features a stylised human face with heavy-lidded eyes, a bold nose and a faintly smiling expression. Mask-like and grotesque faces were common throughout medieval art, appearing on architecture, furnishings and metalwork, where they could be humorous, symbolic, protective or simply decorative.

The original object is thought to have been a terminal or mount rather than a pendant. It may once have formed part of a folding scale, vessel handle, piece of furniture or another personal or household object. Medieval folklore often gave faces and masks protective associations, and some were interpreted as reminders of mortality or guardians against ill fortune. The exact meaning of this particular face is lost, which is part of its appeal.

Adapted as Jewellery:

British Historical Jewellery has preserved the surviving form of the original find and adapted it into a wearable pendant, allowing the medieval image to be worn again without pretending that jewellery was necessarily its original function.

The Find:

Discovered by a metal detectorist in Scotland, the original artefact is unusually well preserved and retains strong three-dimensional facial detail. Its character gives a rare glimpse of the expressive, sometimes playful side of medieval metalwork.

Explore the design

Read about The Scottish head pendant and medieval faces and browse our medieval jewellery. See how each reproduction is individually hand cast in Leeds.
Gold medieval head pendant, British-made and individually hand-cast in Leeds — exact historical reproduction adapted from a Scottish find
Scottish Medieval Head Pendant Sale price£1,503.00