Medallion is an augmentative of medal . It is, therefore, a rounded metal object that displays an inscription, a figure or a symbol.
Although medallions are usually round in shape, there are also some oval ones. These pieces can be worn around the neck as decoration.
Ancient people used medallions with religious or symbolic meanings . Nowadays, however, the use of medallions is more linked to aesthetics, although they may have emotional relevance.
The most important lockets in terms of affectivity are those that function as a box and contain everything from family photographs to curls or other elements linked to a memory .
In the Province of Malaga, Spain, we can find the Trayamar Medallion as part of the funerary trousseau of the Phoenician necropolis known as Trayamar , which dates back to the 7th century BC. C. and is located to the right of the Algarrobo River, in the municipality of the same name.
The Trayamar Medallion is a solid gold disc decorated in relief using a granulation technique that used small balls or beads, in combination with the filigree technique, which uses thin wires. For the engraving of the figurative scenes, on the other hand, a punch was used.
The edge of the medallion is raised; Its suspension was achieved with gold thread that forms a tube-shaped ring and two circles of small spheres. Its back is smooth. Regarding the motif, you can see a raised body, with the snake Uraeus at its summit. The falcons of Horus perch on the animal's heads, which have their sights set on the center and are next to a solar disk and a crescent supported by another bird.
Amulets of this type were placed in graves to provide protection to the dead in the afterlife. It is also likely that their owners used them in life, as pendants. Everything indicates that the root of the representation that can be seen on its surface is oriental, since it is a mythological passage that was quite common in its time.
It should be noted that the idea of a medallion is also used to refer to a slice of certain foods . It is possible to find meat medallions , chicken medallions , fish medallions , etc.
Many times medallion appears as a synonym for hamburger . However, in some regions there are legal indications that establish what producers should call this type of food. A medallion, within the framework of Argentine legislation, can contain soy and other additives in addition to minced meat, while a hamburger must have less than 20% fat.
Chicken medallions and fish medallions , meanwhile, are usually made with processed and battered meat. These products are vacuum packed and sold frozen. To cook them, they should not be thawed, but rather fried or placed directly in the oven .
There are also vegetarian medallions , made with legumes and vegetables. In these cases, egg is usually used as a binding substance. Vegan or strictly vegetarian medallions, on the other hand, completely dispense with any type of product of animal origin, so for the breadcrumbs to adhere to the body, some natural binder can be used, such as chickpea flour, beer, flour. tempura or ground linseed, among other options.
In any case, the medallion is a food product that is easy to prepare at home and quick to cook, ideal for getting out of a pinch when we don't have much time to cook. If we buy it already made, its price is usually affordable and that increases its practicality. On the other hand, since it is not a particularly nutritious food , it is advisable to combine it with a fresh vegetable salad.