Emblem of the Jewish Butchers’ Guild

Artist Unknown

1620

Metal cylindrical object with carving of lion holding axe on top, and decorative carving on bottom.
The merchants’ and artisans’ guilds introduced into Eastern Europe beginning in the thirteenth century by German immigrants resembled those in Western Europe in their exclusion of Jews. Jews therefore formed their own professional organizations. The first Jewish guild in Prague was formed by Jewish butchers, and was established before 1620. Its emblem featured a rampant lion holding a cleaver. In the seventeenth century, other guilds were organized in Prague by tailors, furriers, weavers, embroiderers, shoemakers, silversmiths and goldsmiths, and Hebrew book printers.

Credits

With permission of the Jewish Museum in Prague.

Published in: The Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization, vol. 5.

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