Bread stamp

The Order regarded the sick and poor of all religions as if they were Christ himself, and no luxury was denied to them. This included providing white bread, a rare luxury in the medieval period, which was baked solely for hospital patients. This bread stamp would have been pressed into fresh bread, leaving the eight pointed cross of the Order imbedded.

This object is on display

Object type

Medical and First Aid Equipment

Date

Production: 14th century

Subject(s)

Bearers of the Cross
Knights Hospitaller
Religion and Devotion

Dimensions

Height: 57mm
Diameter: 79mm

Materials and technique

Pumice stone

Production place

Lambousa
Cyprus

References

Foakes, Tom, ed. Treasures: Faith, Care, Valour: Highlights from the Collection of the Museum of the Order of St John. Priory of England and the Islands of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, 2019.
Pages 102 - 103

Credit line

Gift of Rupert Gunnis, 1930

Catalogue number

3005