From the 16th century on, many children were left in the care of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa. Parents would place newborns in the Foundling Wheel, along with identifying marks so that they could later claim them back – these objects were known as the Foundling Tokens. These tokens are mostly composed of a written note, usually on paper, on which the parent, or someone else on the parent’s behalf, noted information considered necessary or useful about the child.
Some of these documents, in addition to the note, included other pieces that, from a symbolic point of view, aimed at placing the foundling under the protection, shelter or intervention of elements that could be divine (images of saints, medallions, cruci xes, etc.), profane (amulets, clover leaves, st-shaped charms, playing cards, etc.) or even emotional (embroidery, pieces of knitting, locks of the mother’s hair, etc.).
This archival series is composed of more than 86,700 tokens, which makes this collection one of the most signi cant both in numerical terms and in its chronological breadth.
Edmundo MartinhoProvost of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa
Token of João da Cruz
Foundling no. 1043, born 14 September 1802.
Token in paper, fabric, metal and muscovite. Includes a gospel book of Saint John and a small wicker basket painted red and green, tied with yellow and pink ribbons, with a cut at the edge made for validation purposes.
Token of Susana
Foundling no. 1581, born in 1812.
Token in paper, fabric, wood and metal. Includes a purple ribbon and approximately ten brown beads, with a hanging brass pendant, showing the image of Christ and, on the back, of the Blessed Virgin.
Token of Maria das Dores da Cunha
Foundling no. 2322, born 18 November 1863.
Token in paper, fabric and wax. Includes a red fabric pouch with a piece of beeswax, an engraving of Saint Anthony and a patriarchal cross printed on white fabric.
