House of Delegates Mace
The Mace is a ceremonial staff presented to the House of Delegates in 1700 by the Governor General of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia. Displayed in the old House chamber is an Edwardian style mace made of silver with a 24-karat gold wash. Purchased in England, it was presented to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1974 by the Jamestown Foundation. The mace is presented by the sergeant-at-arms in the current House chamber and remains each day until the House adjourns.
The importance of the mace lies in its symbolism, which derives from English tradition. Centuries ago, the King’s bodyguard carried clubs in order to protect the royal person when traveling among the people. Gradually the club, or mace, was replaced by other more useful weapons and it became an ornament of beauty, often made of precious metals encrusted with jewels, and an object symbolic of royal authority and power. As such, it was first used in the British House of Commons.
Today a mace can also be seen in the United States House of Representatives, and it symbolizes, as it does here, the importance of our government.
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