Onbekend gilde, gildepenning van Tijs Klasen 1696

This is an anonymous guild medal of Tijs Klasen, made out of copper. Guilds, which were associations of craftsmen or merchants, played a central role in the social and economic life of their communities, especially from the medieval period through the early modern era. This small copper piece offers a glimpse into the identity and affiliation of Tijs Klasen, who lived in a society structured around trade and craftsmanship. What did it mean to belong to a guild? It meant adhering to regulations and standards in production. Guild membership also dictated social standing, shaping one’s opportunities and interactions. As an object, the medal embodies this sense of belonging and collective identity. What feelings arise when thinking about what it meant for tradespeople to create communities in pre-industrial times? What was gained from working in solidarity? Though we may not know what kind of guild Tijs Klasen was part of, this object evokes a vivid sense of the communal.