Richard and Saladin
- Gallery: Room 40
- Culture: Late Medieval
- Made in: Chertsey
- Date: 13thC
- Object type: floor-tile
- Materials: earthenware
- Museum number: 1885,1113.9065-9070
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is "Richard and Saladin; Combat Series; Chertsey tiles," a striking example of late Medieval artistry. What you see is a circular arrangement formed from four quarter tiles, surrounded by mosaic tiles shaped like leaves and branches. At the center are two powerful figures—Saladin on one horse and Richard I on another—in the midst of a dramatic single combat.
Each of the tiles is made from earthenware, covered with a glossy lead glaze, and decorated using a technique called inlaid slip, where liquid clay is pressed into the glaze to create fine details. Despite the passage of centuries, much of the imagery remains vivid.
This work was made in the 13th century in Chertsey and later discovered at Chertsey Abbey. Today, it offers a compelling glimpse into medieval storytelling and craftsmanship.
See it in person
Richard and Saladin is on display in Room 40 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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