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"[O]ne day I happened to be in the old courtroom...and was shown a big closet that had a lot of stuff in it. And there in the closet was this big golden mace. And I asked, What’s with this mace? I thought it might have been a theatrical prop at some point back when the law school had libel shows... So I took the mace out, and right away...the mace began being carried on all law school ceremonial occasions... And then they showed it to some people at Colonial Williamsburg who said, This thing might actually be real... So I said, All the better.” -- Taylor Reveley, Dean and President Emeritus, on finding the law school’s mace
Marshall-Wythe Mace. Replica of the Mace of Parliament in the British House of Commons, ca. 1850-1855?
The mace first arrived at the Law School in 1966 after being presented to Virginia by the British Government in commemoration of the 750th anniversary of the Magna Carta. It was likely displayed at the Law School during ceremonial occasions through the 1970s. There is limited record of the mace prior to Taylor Reveley’s arrival as dean, when he found it in a classroom closet. Originally believing it was a theatrical prop, Reveley began using the mace to bring more tradition to Law School proceedings. Colonial Williamsburg has since confirmed its authenticity, and the mace continues to be carried for all formal Law School ceremonies today.
Photo by Chris Cunningham.