Gorget

Item number 1590/264 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Heavy, deeply curved gorget, with two holes at the top of the two curves, for hanging. Engraved with a canine (wolf or fox) stepping through grass. Maker’s mark stamped at upper left.

History Of Use

In Europe during the Renaissance period the helmets of warriors were fitted with a crescent-shaped plate called a gorget, which extended downward to protect the throat. Gradually, this armour became obsolete due to the use of firearms, but some breastplates, helmets and gorgets were brought to North America for protection against native arrows. The use of this armour declined here too, in favour of increased mobility, but the crescent-shaped gorgets continued to be worn separately by officers as a badge of military rank and authority, and consequently had appeal as trade items denoting strength and power. Reference Hamilton, pages 69-71.