They may not have had the Internet, but medieval people still liked to share a joke – as the discovery of what archaeologists call a historical “meme” found in the north of England suggests.
A “strange and unique” mount depicting a man coming out of a snail shell on the back of a goat was discovered in a field in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, last year.
Memes have become a part of everyday life in the 21st century, as people around the world share funny, fun images, videos or other articles online – especially through social media.
The artifact features a male knight wearing a Norman-style helmet with a long-sleeved tunic. It has a leg that throws forward, suggesting that it comes out of the shell. His hands are clasped together as in prayer, implying religious connotations.
Armed knights fighting snails are common in manuscripts from this period, according to the museum. Snails were often used to symbolize cowardice with the victory of a knight suggesting a victory for good over evil.
These tweezers were part of a collection of Iron Age goods believed to have come from a cremation funeral. Credit: The British Museum
But this theory does not explain “the more comical fusion of the snail between snail and man,” experts say.
“This could suggest that the original meaning ‘good for bad’ has shifted to satirical connotations, a cultural phenomenon that means we can see this mount as an early meme,” the museum said in a press release on Monday.
“The image of the knight praying out of a snail shell above a goat implies an element of parody or satire,” said Beverley Nenk, curator of the museum’s late medieval collections.
“The mountain can be a satirical reference to the cowardly or non-chivalrous behavior of opponents in battle or as a parody of the upper or chivalrous classes. As such, it demonstrates the humor often found in medieval material culture,” Nenk added.
The silver support, which is 21.7 millimeters long and 16.8 millimeters wide, could have been worn as a badge or elsewhere on the owner’s clothing.
Other discoveries include a medieval gold seal matrix with a Roman intaglio engraved with an elephant. Credit: Norfolk City Council
It presents 1,094 examples of treasures reported in 2018, consisting of more than 20,906 individual artifacts – 96% of which were discovered by metal detectors.
Other findings detailed in the report include Iron Age tombstones, including an unusually decorated mirror and tweezers, a Bronze Age treasure with unusual straps and bracelet, and a medieval seal matrix depicting an elephant.
The detailed findings in the report will be purchased by museums in the UK, many close to where they were found.