Badge, devotional badge

Devotional badge in the shape of a hunting horn, which is possibly a sign of St Hubert, the patron saint of hunting. This badge shows the horn hanging from a cord. Hubert was a 7th century French nobleman and keen hunter who had chased a stag with a crucifix in its antlers. The stag told him to adopt a religious life and Hubert went on to become Bishop of Liège in Belgium in the early 8th century. His shrine was at Saint-Hubert-en-Ardenne in Belgium. Badges in the form of a hunting horn are common in the Low Countries. Several have been found in England as well but these are slightly different in design, suggesting they were made in England. It is possible that these badges were worn for luck in hunting rather than being pilgrim souvenirs from a specific shrine.