Medieval and Renaissance
Rosaries, Rosary Beads, and Paternosters

Depictions of rosaries and paternosters are really too numerous to count (at least for the level of focus preferred for these linkspages). This linkspage, therefore, focuses on extant examples only.

See also Paternoster Row: Historical Rosaries & Paternosters, Historical Paternosters and Rosaries, and these links.

• Rosary with bone beads, from a reliquary-coffer, c. 1251-1300
• Paternoster pendant with the Virgin and Child and the meeting of Joachim and Anna at the Golden Gate, c. 1440-1450

Itm I yeve and beqwethe to the seid Dame Margarete a peyre of bedys with pater nostris of gold and on eche syde of the pa[ter] n[ost]ris a bede of coral and the Aue Maryes of colour aftir marbil with a knoppe othir wyse callyd a tufft of blak sylke and ther in a litil nowche of gold with smal perle and stoonys be sekyng the seid Dame Margarete to prey for me and that she wil vowchesaf if hire doughtir leve longere than she to have the said bedys aftir hire dissees. Will of John Baret of Bury, 1463 (Wills and Inventories)

• Rosary with wooden beads, 15th-16th century
• The Langdale Rosary, late 15th century (V&A M.30-1934)
• Paternoster in wood, coral, silver, and crystal, c. 1401-1600
• Enameled copper beads from a rosary, early 16th century
• Boxwood rosary bead with St. Jerome and St. Catherine of Alexandria, c. 1500 (V&A 6921-1860)
• Rosary bead with God in His glory and the Judgement Day, beginning of the 16th centry
• Rosary in enameled gold with agate, first quarter of the 16th century

Boxwood Beads Boxwood rosary bead with Old Testament and New Testament scenes, c. 1500-1530 The Chatsworth paternoster Boxwood rosary bead with the Madonna and Child and three other saints, 16th century Three boxwood rosary-beads (another view) from the first quarter of the 16th century Boxwood rosary bead (closed) with scenes from the life of St. Jerome, from the workshop of Adam Dirksz, c. 1510-1520 (V&A A.535&A-1910) Rosary bead with St. Andrew, Saint Barbara, and Saint Catherine, 16th century Prayer bead with two scenes from the Passion of Christ, carved from boxwood by Adam Dirksz, c. 1515 Rosary bead carved by Adam Dirksz in the 16th century



• Jet rosary bead with St. James the Greater, c. 1520-1650 (V&A M.813-1926)

Ivory Beads Ivory paternoster bead with Christ's head and a death's head, 16th century Two rosary beads, 16th century Ivory rosary bead with memento mori, c. 1525-1550 (V&A 2149-1855)



• Paternoster with eleven beads and a silver cross, 16th century
• Paternoster with devotional medals, gilt and enameled silver, c. 1551-1650
• Rosary and prayerbook given to Mary, Queen of Scots c. 1568
• Paternoster with skulls, c. 1570-1590
• Rosary with copper ring and bronze cross, 16th-17th century
• Rosary with wood and silver beads, 16th/17th century