Peter of Lézan
The Kunera database contains many badges of Saint Peter. The provenance of two very comparable badges depicting the apostle was for a long time unknown however. On the basis of two other badges, found in Arles and Avignon, the other two can now be identified as souvenirs from Lézan in the French department Gard (arr. Alès).
With their wish to venerate Peter medieval pilgrims could travel to different sites in Europe, Rome being the most important. After their arrival, pilgrims could buy badges depicting Peter and Paul, but they could also purchase souvenirs depicting only one of the two apostles. In addition, pilgrims could go to Arles or Cluny to venerate Peter and badges were sold there too. Examples of souvenirs from Rome, Arles and Cluny are in the Kunera database.
Listing the badge finds in the Provence archeologist Olivier Thuaudet (2017) pointed out two badges of Peter from the pilgrimage site of Lézan. One was dredged from the river Rhône in Arles in 1909. A similar badge was found years later in the city of Avignon. Both badges show Peter with a large key raising his hand in blessing. A kneeling figure, probably a pilgrim, is at his feet. The text S BEATI PETRI DE LESANO along the edge explains where the badge is from: Lézan.
Based on these two finds two more badges can now be identified as originating from Lézan. One is in the the royal library in Brussels (Kunera 12955), the other in a private collection (Kunera 13179). The find sites of both are unknown. The former used to be part of the collection of Paul Dissard, formerly curator of the Musée des Beaux-Arts of Lyon. A find site in France seems therefore likely. The latter was topic of discussion on an internet forum of metal detectorists in 2005. This badge was probably found in France or Belgium. Because of their shape and style both badges can roughly be dated in the thirteenth or fourteenth century.
A comparison with the aforementioned badges from Arles and Avignon clarifies that the latter two of unknown find sites - but probably from France - must be from Lézan as well. The attributions are all the more interesting because not much is known about Lézan as medieval site of pilgrimage. The Romanesque pilgrimage church was destroyed during religious wars. Because fo this Thuaudet wrote that Lézan is a cult site “that has left little historical trace.”
With two ‘new’ finds a little more about Lézan as medieval center of pilgrimage and its popularity has come to light.
Image: Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale Albert Ier, 23437 (Kunera no. 12955)