Weird medallion?

[298]

I found this yesterday along an old road bed. It appears to be made of possibly pewter. Just wondering if anyone has any clues on its age and meaning? One picture was taken just after I dug it the other after I got home, reason for the different picture coloration. Thanks for any help!

 

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[Subterranean]

Hey 298, Your medallion has symbolism which I believe is Minoan or Ancient Greek in origin. The double headed axe above the bull's head may be as described in the following from Wikipedia:

Labrys (Greek: λάβρυς, lábrys) is the term for a symmetric doubleheaded axe originally from Crete in Greece, one of the oldest symbols of Greek civilization; to the Romans, it was known as a bipennis.[SUP][1][/SUP] The symbol was commonly associated with female divinities.
The double-bitted axe remains a forestry tool to this day,[SUP][2][/SUP] and the labrys certainly functioned as a tool and hewing axe[SUP][3][/SUP] before it was invested with symbolic function.[SUP][4][/SUP] Labrys symbolism is found in Minoan, Thracian, and Greek religion, mythology, and art, dating from the Middle Bronze Age onwards, and surviving in the Byzantine Empire.


The article goes on to say that the Labrys (axe) is often seen in artwork in connection with sacrifice, such as a bull. The (male?) figure on the reverse appears to be an ancient Mediterranean subject, maybe standing in a patch of lily flowers and holding a yoked oxen in a field of tall wheat(?) Your guess is as good as mine, but it may be a good luck charm, fertility charm, and how and when it got into your road bed is a mystery. Is there a large Greek American population near you? Who knows!? Sub

 

[298]

Thanks for the info!! The old road I found it at was used from the early 1700s until just after the civil war. I'll stay with the good luck charm or fertility theory and hope it wasn't used in some type of weird sacrifice. Thanks again for the help!

 

[yaxthri]

Good call on the minoan connection Subterranean!
The figure is the so called "Prince of Lilies".
Some more info here Prince of the Lilies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The whole image is almost a fraud since it's a restoration based on fragments of possibly different artworks...
The bull's head and the double axe are both religious symbols of the ancient Minoan civilisation of Crete.
The medallion can't be older than 1901, date of uncovering the fresco painting fragments... Could be some very early souvenir, or ancient art-repro, I;m pretty sure this was not used in any sacrifice...

 

[b.terrill]

I found this yesterday along an old road bed. It appears to be made of possibly pewter. Just wondering if anyone has any clues on its age and meaning? One picture was taken just after I dug it the other after I got home, reason for the different picture coloration. Thanks for any help!

My parents have a similar medallion. It has been a family joke for as long as I can remember that it is cursed, lol. My dad found it in the 1960s in Pomona, California. Did you ever find any other information on the medallion?

 

[deepsecrets]

Agree with Yaxthri - early 20th C Greek Souvenir item. here's something along the same motif's
https://www.etsy.com/listing/215666281/vintage-art-deco-enamel-on-brass-clip?ref=market

 

[Sankey]

Piccy

Hi. Found this in Northern Ireland in 1968.


Mine has a mirrored made in greece on one side which would make it a mould blank. I dont know. Crazy to see another one after all this time.
Mines bronze i think.Its certainly not brass.
Ta
Terry

 

[yaxthri]

Agree with Yaxthri - early 20th C Greek Souvenir item. here's something along the same motif's
https://www.etsy.com/listing/215666281/vintage-art-deco-enamel-on-brass-clip?ref=market

I just saw this, my parents have exactly the same thing in their living room!

 

[A2coins]

Looks like some ancient coin I would have been freakin pumped. Really cool find .Good ID