Gold touchpiece issued by Queen Anne
- maker:
- Croker, John
Gold touchpiece, given at the ceremony of healing by touch, issued by Queen Anne, English, 1702-1714
A touchpiece is a medal or token believed to be imbued with the power to heal because it had been touched by a monarch. From the Middle Ages, it was believed that monarchs had the power to heal through touch and that this power was given to them by God. The tradition of the 'royal touch' began with Edward the Confessor (1003-1066) and continued until the end of Queen Anne's reign in 1714.
This touchpiece was issued by Queen Anne. It has been pierced so that it could be suspended by a ribbon and worn around the neck.
Details
- Category:
- Ethnography and Folk Medicine
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A641062
- Materials:
- gold
- Measurements:
-
overall: 1 mm x 20 mm, 0.004 kg
- type:
- touchpieces
- credit:
- Loan, Wellcome Trust
