Medieval Belt Ornament from England, c.1400-1500 CE: this tiny figurine depicts a mythical creature known as a wyvern, and it measures less than 18mm long [3880×4860]
Medieval Belt Ornament from England, c.1400-1500 CE: this tiny figurine depicts a mythical creature known as a wyvern, and it measures less than 18mm long [3880×4860]
This decorative belt-mount was discovered along the banks of the river Thames. It’s crafted from copper, and it depicts a dragon-like creature known as a wyvern.
> Smaller than a five-pence coin, the smallest dragon resides in the London Museum collection. An object of fascination, almost nothing is known about it, aside from the fact that it was made and used in medieval London. It’s so small that the easiest way to hold it is with tweezers.
> Intended to be used as a belt mount, it would have been attached to a belt by a rivet as an aesthetic embellishment.
> Our mount depicts a roaring wyvern, a legendary winged creature with open jaws, two legs and a curled tail. Wyverns were regarded as powerful and fearsome monsters, and many are found in medieval coats of arms. They represented pestilence and destruction, appearing in illuminated manuscripts.
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This decorative belt-mount was discovered along the banks of the river Thames. It’s crafted from copper, and it depicts a dragon-like creature known as a wyvern.
As [this article](https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/blog/londons-tiniest-dragon-medieval-fashion-laws/) explains:
> Smaller than a five-pence coin, the smallest dragon resides in the London Museum collection. An object of fascination, almost nothing is known about it, aside from the fact that it was made and used in medieval London. It’s so small that the easiest way to hold it is with tweezers.
> Intended to be used as a belt mount, it would have been attached to a belt by a rivet as an aesthetic embellishment.
> Our mount depicts a roaring wyvern, a legendary winged creature with open jaws, two legs and a curled tail. Wyverns were regarded as powerful and fearsome monsters, and many are found in medieval coats of arms. They represented pestilence and destruction, appearing in illuminated manuscripts.
#Sources & More Info:
– London Museum: [London’s Tiniest Dragon and Medieval Fashion Laws](https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/blog/londons-tiniest-dragon-medieval-fashion-laws/)
– London Museum: [From Tiny to Titanic: Mudlarking Treasures on Display](https://www.londonmuseum.org.uk/blog/thames-secrets-mudlarking-treasures/)