Korendragersgilde van Enkhuizen, gildepenning van Jan Tjeertz 1780

This is a brass guild token, dating from 1780, for Jan Tjeertz of the Korendragersgilde in Enkhuizen, or Grain Carriers Guild. On one side, we see a small, rather plump, almost comical figure of a child wearing a turban-like hat. The depiction of children has ancient roots, reaching back to classical antiquity, where they symbolized innocence, new beginnings, and divine protection. Here, this somewhat peculiar figure serves perhaps as a kind of mascot. But what is the meaning of the turban, and what is the significance of the child's stocky, rather stout form? In some cultures, a turban may be a symbol of trade. The guild of grain carriers would have been familiar with merchants from afar. The subconscious power of such images lies in their ability to evoke primal associations. This cyclical progression of symbols highlights how motifs resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings across time.