19. Censer, bronze, enamel

From Stora Hellvigs, Fole parish, Gotland, 1250-1361 A. D. The lid of a censer was also found close to the farm. A censer is a vessel in which incense is burned, it is used in catholic church services. The vessel often consist of a bowl shaped bottom part and a lid hanging from chains. This particular lid is cone shaped, crowned by a ball with a fixed carrying loop at the top. The cone has an ornate design including a star and palmettes, a stylised palm leaf in enamel. The enamel is badly damaged, perhaps by fire. Could it be that Fole Church nearby was also pillaged by the Danish soldiers and that the censer lid was dropped for some reason? SHM 21993:5