Bierdragersgilde van Amsterdam, gildepenning van Joost Rens Huyen 1665

This cast bronze guild badge was made anonymously for the Amsterdam beer carriers guild, sometime in the early modern period. On one side we see two men carrying a beer barrel with the name "Joost Rens Huyen" beneath. On the other, a woman holds a palm frond in one hand and a bier in the other. In the Dutch Republic, guilds like this held considerable social power. Guilds regulated trades, assured quality, and provided social security for their members. This badge would have been a symbol of membership and status within the beer carriers guild. It represents not just the practical work of transporting beer, but also the social structures and economic activities that shaped Amsterdam life. In interpreting the beer carriers guild badge, historians delve into archival records, guild regulations, and economic data from the period. By examining the visual symbols and understanding the institutional context, we gain insights into the social and economic history of Amsterdam and the early modern world.