Commemorative plaque

A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a special plate made from metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other materials. It carries text or an image to remember a person, an event, or something important that happened in the past. These plaques are often attached to walls, stones, or other upright surfaces.

Many plaques are placed in places that are worth visiting because they remind us of the person, event, or thing they honor. Some plaques remember people who have passed away and can be found near churches. Others might show that a place belongs to someone or has a special meaning.

In recent years, some plaques have included something called a QR code. When you scan this code with a smartphone, you can see photographs, videos, and stories about the person being remembered. This makes remembering them even more interesting and easy to share. A smaller version called a plaquette is also used, though it is not commonly placed outside on walls like larger plaques.

Historical

Benin Kingdom

Main article: Benin Bronzes

The Benin Empire was a powerful kingdom in what is now Nigeria from the 1300s to the 1800s. The empire created many beautiful artworks, including special brass and bronze plaques. These plaques told stories about important people and events, like big battles, that happened in the kingdom.

Medieval Europe

Main article: Monumental brass

In medieval Europe, from the 1200s to the 1500s, people made plaques from brass or bronze to remember people who had passed away. These plaques were often placed inside churches or on tombs. They showed simple pictures with short writings to honor the memory of those people.

Modern

Historical markers are signs placed on walls or buildings to remember important people, places, or events. They are often put up by governments, groups, or even individuals.

The first famous system of historical markers began in 1866 in the United Kingdom. These markers, called plaques, are usually made of metal, stone, or ceramic. They help people learn about history whenever they see them.

Many countries have their own ways of placing these markers. For example, in the United States, different states have their own programs. In New South Wales, Australia, blue plaques honor important people and events from the state's past. These plaques help people remember and visit places that have meaning in history.

Awards

Plaques, or smaller versions called plaquettes, are sometimes given as awards instead of trophies or ribbons. These plaques usually have text that explains why the award was given and often include the date of the award.