The Carlton-in-Lindrick knight is a small (6 cm tall) bronze

figurine A figurine (a diminutive form of the word ''figure'') or statuette is a small, three-dimensional sculpture that represents a human, deity or animal, or, in practice, a pair or small group of them. Figurines have been made in many media, with cla ...

from the twelfth century, depicting a mounted

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

armed for combat. It is an important find because period depictions of mounted European knights are relatively rare.

Discovery and Acquisition

The figurine was discovered by use of a

metal detector A metal detector is an instrument that detects the nearby presence of metal. Metal detectors are useful for finding metal objects on the surface, underground, and under water. A metal detector consists of a control box, an adjustable shaft, and ...

in 2004 in Bassetlaw,

Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated ''Notts.'') is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. The county is bordered by South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. Th ...

. It is currently in the Bassetlaw Museum in Retford. The figurine was sought by collections outside Britain, but the

Art Fund Art Fund (formerly the National Art Collections Fund) is an independent membership-based British charity, which raises funds to aid the acquisition of artworks for the nation. It gives grants and acts as a channel for many gifts and bequests, as ...

and other funds joined with the Bassetlaw Museum to acquire it for local display.

Depiction

The figurine depicts a mounted knight of the twelfth century, apparently armed for combat, as he is holding his shield and is in full armour. Characteristic of knights of the period, he wears a

surcoat A surcoat or surcote is an outer garment that was commonly worn in the Middle Ages by soldiers. It was worn over armor to show insignia and help identify what side the soldier was on. In the battlefield the surcoat was also helpful with keeping ...

and very complete

chainmail Mail (sometimes spelled maille and, since the 18th century, colloquially referred to as chain mail, chainmail or chain-mail) is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh. It was in common milita ...

. Despite these typically 12th century characteristics, his

helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protecti ...

is conical and he carries a

kite shield A kite shield is a large, almond-shaped shield rounded at the top and curving down to a point or rounded point at the bottom. The term "kite shield" is a reference to the shield's unique shape, and is derived from its supposed similarity to a fly ...

, both reminiscent of depictions of Norman knights in the

Bayeux Tapestry The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidery, embroidered cloth nearly long and tall that depicts the events leading up to the Norman Conquest, Norman Conquest of England in 1066, led by William the Conqueror, William, Duke of Normandy challenging H ...

of the previous century. His warhorse wears a

caparison A caparison is a cloth covering laid over a horse or other animal for protection and decoration. In modern times, they are used mainly in parades and for historical reenactments. A similar term is horse-trapper. The word is derived from the Lat ...

In popular culture

The Carlton-in-Lindrick knight was featured in the '' Britain's Secret Treasures'' documentary shown on ITV''.''

References

Art Fund article on the figurineBassetlaw newsletter with article about the figurine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carlton-In-Lindrick Knight Archaeological discoveries in the United Kingdom 2004 archaeological discoveries