Original scientific paper
Saint medals from the old church of St. George in Kruševo near Obrovac
Šime Vrkić
Abstract
The paper discusses saint medals found in 2007 and 2008 during the rescue archaeological excavations of the old church of St. George in Kruševo, near Obrovac. Ninety-five medals were found dating from the period between the early 17th to the early 20th century. They all include relief representations on both sides, usually accompanied by an inscription on the edge of the medal. Older medals bear Latin inscriptions, whereas later medals more commonly have inscriptions in national languages (Croatian, Italian, French, German and Chinese). The most common medals are the usual round and oval shapes with a suspension loop from the top. The medals are mostly made of bronze or similar alloys, with the later medals made of aluminium. Most of the medals come from Italian shrines in Rome and Loreto. The most common presentations on the medals depict the Mother of God, St. Anthony of Padua and the Passion of Christ, suggesting that the Franciscans greatly influenced procurement of such medals. The analysis of all presentations has led to the conclusion that the saint medals do not provide a proper insight into the veneration of saints in a particular area and are not always proof of the pilgrimage activities of their respective owners.
Keywords
saint medals; Kruševo; Franciscans; Loreto; Our Lady of Loreto; St. Anthony of Padua
Hrčak ID:
140134
URI
Publication date:
1.4.2015.
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