Dutch Table Knife Terminal Decorated With A Mooning Gargoyle And Engravings, 1450-1500

A very rare depiction on this medieval copper alloy table knife terminal.

Usually, saints, martyrs, and animals are depicted on the engravings of a finial, but here a lunar gargoyle was chosen. Probably inspired by the lunar gargoyles found, for example, in cathedrals in France, Great Britain, and the rest of Europe at this time.

The "mooning" aspect, while potentially offensive by modern standards, probably had a different connotation in medieval times, perhaps perceived as a more playful, even provocative, gesture. The ambiguity of their meaning contributes to their enduring fascination... Beneath the gargoyle, on one side, there is an engraving of a dog-like animal and, on the other, a banner with Gothic text.

Height: 2.5 cm. Width: 1.8 cm.
Finding place: Riedijk in Dordrecht, the Netherlands