An archaeologist has discovered what she hopes will be a lucky charm for the England lads at the World Cup in South Africa.
Caroline Rann, an archaeologist for the county of Warwickshire, found a coat of arms which is believed to date back to the 1200s, featuring the Three Lions, England's symbol, lodged in a stone wall in Coventry ahead of construction work for the building of a new church.
The badge is made of copper and is partially corroded.
The Three Lions is the coat of arms of the English nation, featuring three golden lions on a red background. It dates back to the Norman Conquest and was also the Royal coat of arms until 1340.
In 1340, King Edward III laid claim to the throne of France and quartered the English arms with those of France, the "France Ancient", a blue shield with a tight pattern of small golden fleurs-de-lis of the French royal house. Edward III's claim to the French throne came about due to the fact that his his great-grandmother Isabella (who was married to Edward III's great-grandfather Edward II) was the daughter of the French king, Philip IV.
The national football team has also adopted the Three Lions as their crest, hence the team's nickname. It's uncanny that it's discovery came just before the start of the World Cup! Come on England!
Is this England's World Cup omen? Archaeologist discovers 800-year-old THREE LIONS badge
By Daily Mail Reporter
16th June 2010
Daily Mail
An archaeologist has discovered what she hopes will be a lucky omen for England in the World Cup - a medieval badge emblazoned with three lions.
The copper item, found lodged in a stone wall is thought to date back to the 13th century but clearly shows the Coat of Arms of England.
Caroline Rann, a member of Warwickshire County Council's archaeology projects group, found the emblem - believed to be part of a horse harness - ahead of a building project, in Parkside, Coventry.
Lucky charm? The copper badge, which shows the Coat of Arms of England, is thought to date back to the 13th century
Coat of Arms: The three lions' symbol, which is also on the England team's shirts, is England's Coat of Arms, featuring three golden lions on a red background
‘The badge was lodged between the sandstone blocks and may have fallen in (to the wall) while it was being built,’ the archaeologist said.
‘This has been hidden for hundreds of years and for it to appear now has to be a sign that England will go all the way in the World Cup!’
'A sign': Wayne Rooney during the World Cup in South Africa. The archaeologist hopes the badge will bring luck to the England team
Nicholas Palmer, the principal field archaeologist at the Warwickshire Museum, said the inch-high badge is still being assessed and catalogued.
The partially corroded artefact, which is not believed to be intrinsically valuable, was found during excavation work on a site once occupied by medieval housing, ahead of work to construct a church.
Mr Palmer said the three lions’ symbol was a popular motif with patriotic connotations at the time the badge was made.
‘It was the Royal Arms, the Arms of the Kings of England, until 1340 and the badge was probably a decorative on a horse harness,’ the expert added.
Ms Rann said she hoped the find - made shortly before the World Cup began - would bring England good fortune in South Africa.
Asked how she felt when she saw the symbol, the archaeologist said: ‘It was a surprise, a nice surprise.
‘The badge clearly got there accidentally, as opposed to someone hiding it. It is very pretty and you can see clearly the three lions on it.’
The origins of England's Three Lions
Following the Norman conquest of England after 1066, the arms of the House of Normandy were used in England, two golden lions on a red field. The succession of King Henry II of the House of Plantagenet (which was divided into the Angevins, Lancastrians and Yorkists) in 1154 saw the first known arms of an English monarch used, a golden lion on a red field.
When King Richard I ("The Lionheart") came to the throne in 1189 he first adopted his personal arms of two lions rampant on a red field. However by the end of his life he had adopted a shield with three lions passant, on a red field.The origin of the third lion is unclear.
According to one tradition, the extra lion was added to two existing Norman lions to represent the combined Anglo-Norman realm.
According to another tradition the two leopards were combined with the single leopard of Aquitaine, as Henry II, the first Angevin king, had acquired the duchy of Acquitaine by marriage before inheriting the throne of England. Other heraldic authorities have claimed that at an early stage in the development of heraldry the number of Norman lions was not fixed and that it is simply a matter of design as to why England has ended up with three heraldic lions and Normandy with two.
dailymail.co.uk
Caroline Rann, an archaeologist for the county of Warwickshire, found a coat of arms which is believed to date back to the 1200s, featuring the Three Lions, England's symbol, lodged in a stone wall in Coventry ahead of construction work for the building of a new church.
The badge is made of copper and is partially corroded.
The Three Lions is the coat of arms of the English nation, featuring three golden lions on a red background. It dates back to the Norman Conquest and was also the Royal coat of arms until 1340.
In 1340, King Edward III laid claim to the throne of France and quartered the English arms with those of France, the "France Ancient", a blue shield with a tight pattern of small golden fleurs-de-lis of the French royal house. Edward III's claim to the French throne came about due to the fact that his his great-grandmother Isabella (who was married to Edward III's great-grandfather Edward II) was the daughter of the French king, Philip IV.
The national football team has also adopted the Three Lions as their crest, hence the team's nickname. It's uncanny that it's discovery came just before the start of the World Cup! Come on England!
Is this England's World Cup omen? Archaeologist discovers 800-year-old THREE LIONS badge
By Daily Mail Reporter
16th June 2010
Daily Mail
An archaeologist has discovered what she hopes will be a lucky omen for England in the World Cup - a medieval badge emblazoned with three lions.
The copper item, found lodged in a stone wall is thought to date back to the 13th century but clearly shows the Coat of Arms of England.
Caroline Rann, a member of Warwickshire County Council's archaeology projects group, found the emblem - believed to be part of a horse harness - ahead of a building project, in Parkside, Coventry.
Lucky charm? The copper badge, which shows the Coat of Arms of England, is thought to date back to the 13th century
Coat of Arms: The three lions' symbol, which is also on the England team's shirts, is England's Coat of Arms, featuring three golden lions on a red background
‘The badge was lodged between the sandstone blocks and may have fallen in (to the wall) while it was being built,’ the archaeologist said.
‘This has been hidden for hundreds of years and for it to appear now has to be a sign that England will go all the way in the World Cup!’
'A sign': Wayne Rooney during the World Cup in South Africa. The archaeologist hopes the badge will bring luck to the England team
Nicholas Palmer, the principal field archaeologist at the Warwickshire Museum, said the inch-high badge is still being assessed and catalogued.
The partially corroded artefact, which is not believed to be intrinsically valuable, was found during excavation work on a site once occupied by medieval housing, ahead of work to construct a church.
Mr Palmer said the three lions’ symbol was a popular motif with patriotic connotations at the time the badge was made.
‘It was the Royal Arms, the Arms of the Kings of England, until 1340 and the badge was probably a decorative on a horse harness,’ the expert added.
Ms Rann said she hoped the find - made shortly before the World Cup began - would bring England good fortune in South Africa.
Asked how she felt when she saw the symbol, the archaeologist said: ‘It was a surprise, a nice surprise.
‘The badge clearly got there accidentally, as opposed to someone hiding it. It is very pretty and you can see clearly the three lions on it.’
The origins of England's Three Lions
Following the Norman conquest of England after 1066, the arms of the House of Normandy were used in England, two golden lions on a red field. The succession of King Henry II of the House of Plantagenet (which was divided into the Angevins, Lancastrians and Yorkists) in 1154 saw the first known arms of an English monarch used, a golden lion on a red field.
When King Richard I ("The Lionheart") came to the throne in 1189 he first adopted his personal arms of two lions rampant on a red field. However by the end of his life he had adopted a shield with three lions passant, on a red field.The origin of the third lion is unclear.
According to one tradition, the extra lion was added to two existing Norman lions to represent the combined Anglo-Norman realm.
According to another tradition the two leopards were combined with the single leopard of Aquitaine, as Henry II, the first Angevin king, had acquired the duchy of Acquitaine by marriage before inheriting the throne of England. Other heraldic authorities have claimed that at an early stage in the development of heraldry the number of Norman lions was not fixed and that it is simply a matter of design as to why England has ended up with three heraldic lions and Normandy with two.
dailymail.co.uk
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