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Mount
Unique ID: BH-A8E577
Object type certainty: Probably
A corroded and incomplete copper-alloy object of late Iron Age date. This object appears to be a decorative mount, possibly from a sword, shield or horse harness. The decorative content would suggest a date of late 2nd or 1st century BC.
The plate is broken at its widest end and comes to a hooked point at the opposite end. It is decorated on both sides, the main decoration being in the area of the hooked end. This latter area is also the thickest part of the object, the plate gradually thinning towards the ragged edge.
One face has decoration entirely achieved by the use of a hatched, cord design, which has been engraved using a relatively stout round, pointed graving tool. This decoration consists of an arc from the mid point of which emanate two further opposing arcs terminating in a lentoid form. The opposite face also carries an arc of hatched engraving, however, the area towards the hooked end is lightly scribed in a complex triskelle based geometric pattern, which appears to be either a 'test' design or is unfinished. The decoration on this lightly scribed section is very similar to elements from a number of decorative insular objects dating to this time, notably that found on the mirrors such as Bromham (see PAS record no. BH-B85CF3), or decorative mounts such as one from the river Bann in Ireland. Another possible parallel may be that from the birse of the Tolna (now part of Hungary) boar statuette. The hatched decoration, in terms of execution, can be paralleled on such objects as the Aylesford bucket terminal.
The piece is badly bent, scratched and corroded and was conserved at Verulamium museum. It measures 131.33mm long by 84.88mm wide and 3.3mm thick; it weighs 78.35g.
This has been noted as an interesting find by the recorder.
Subsequent actions
Current location of find: with finder
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: IRON AGE
Period from: IRON AGE [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Date from: Circa 125 BC
Date to: Circa AD 1
Dimensions and weight
Length: 131.33 mm
Width: 84.88 mm
Thickness: 3.3 mm
Weight: 78.35 g
Quantity: 1
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Manufacture method: Multiple [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Completeness: Incomplete [scope notes | view all attributed records]
Spatial data
Region: East
County: Bedfordshire
District: Bedford
To be known as: Wilstead
Method of discovery: Metal detector
[scope notes]
General landuse: Cultivated land [scope notes]
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Thursday 10th August 2006
Personal details
Found by: This information is restricted for your login.
Recorded by: Mr Julian Watters
- [
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Identified by: Mr Jim Inglis - [view all attributed records]
Secondary identifier: Holly Duncan - [view all attributed records]
Other reference numbers
Other reference: Bedford 2449
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Audit data
Created:
Wednesday 27th September 2006
Updated: Thursday 24th February 2011
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