Accession Number

1986.008.0038a

Creation Date

circa 1600 – 1620

Description

An ornate, lead container from the 1622 galleon Santa Margarita is an inkwell. The body of the box held ink that was dipped from the large opening in the center. In 1622, ink was applied with quill pens, and the four smaller holes around the main opening were designed to hold quills. When dipped, the tubular quill would take up a small reserve of ink; enough to write a sentence or two. The sides of this inkwell are cast with decorative features that frame crosses of St. James, the symbol for the Order of Knights of Santiago. Membership in this religious and military order was a high honor. The one person on board the Santa Margarita who was a knight of Santiago was the galleon’s captain, Bernardino de Lugo, and this inkwell was surely his. Dimensions: 8.5 x 8.5 x 4.75 centimeters.

Exhibition Label

Case Caption (2023):

The Sword and the Cross

In 710, Arabs conquered the Spanish peninsula, uniting its small kingdoms under
their rule. By the 1100s, Spain’s Christian kings were organizing successful resistance.

To encourage new leaders, they founded four military-religious orders of knighthood: Santiago, Calatrava, Alcantra, and Montesa. Even after they succeeded in driving out the last Muslims in 1492, membership in an order of knighthood remained both a religious and martial honor. Each order of knighthood had a specific style of cross associated with it. Members of each order proudly displayed these symbols, embroidered on their clothes or decorating their possessions.
Object Caption (2023): 

Inkwell 
Pewter (c.1610)
Gift of Jamestown Inc.
1986.008.0038a

Don Bernardino de Lugo was the captain of the soldiers aboard the Santa Margarita. He was a knight of Santiago and this inkwell, marked with their cross, probably belonged to him.