A medieval gold brooch with Latin and Hebrew inscriptions has been found by a metal detectorist. The artifact, found in the U.K., may have been mixed with religion and magic in order to give its user protection against illness or supernatural events.
The Latin inscriptions say "Hail Mary full of grace the lord/ is with thee/ blessed art Thou amongst women/ and blessed is the fruit of the womb." The Hebrew initials for AGLA are written on the brooch and represent Hebrew words that mean "Thou art mighty forever, O Lord."
The gold brooch is said to have been used in an attempt to prevent the spread of the disease, according to a brief report on the brooch published online by the Portable Antiquities Scheme. In England and Wales, metal detectorists report their discoveries to the PAS, a government-sponsored organization that publishes reports and images of the finds on its website and sometimes in scholarly journals.
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Live Science talked to scholars with expertise in medieval history and magic to get their thoughts on what the brooch might have been used for.
Some scholars said that the Hebrew initials that represent the phrase "Thou art mighty forever, O Lord" may be important to the brooch's purpose. The phrasefigures prominently in medieval magic, according to Richard Kieckhefer, a professor of religious studies.
The other prayers engraved on the brooch were common religious prayers at the time.
The Hebrew initials for AGLA were very commonly used in magic, from high ritual magic to protective amulets and charms, according to a history professor.
Why would someone wear a brooch?
Catherine Rider, a professor of medieval history at the University of Exeter in the U.K., wrote that Bible quotes like this were used to protect a person against misfortune, such as fire, sudden death or supernatural forces such as demons.
The person wearing the small brooch may have been a woman. Karen Jolly, a history professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, told Live Science in an email that it was used on a woman's garments of some light fabric. Whether she was literate or not, she would know what it said and what it meant.
The brooch was made by a highly skilled person and was engraved with both devotion to the Virgin and a charm.
British law requires the brooch to go through the Treasure Act. A determination is made as to what will happen to the artifact. Depending on a number of factors, it may be placed in a local museum. The metal detectorist could be given a monetary reward and the artifact could be handed over to the government, which could place it in a museum.
It was originally published on Live Science.
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