STIRRUP

A slightly incomplete cast copper alloy stirrup terminal, dating to the Early Medieval period, between AD 1000 - 1100 (length: 38mm; width: 11mm; thickness: 12.5mm; weight: 11.4g).

The stirrup terminal is sub-rectangular in plan and mostly D-shaped in section, although part of the back is flat. The terminal tapers outwards slightly from the incomplete top of the artefact (where it is broken at the top and to the side) to become wider at the bottom (width at top: 8mm; width at bottom: see above). At 8mm below the broken top of the artefact, an animal's head is represented with distinctive rounded and arched ears (length: 6.5mm) with prominent and protruding brows beneath as well as long sub-oval pointed eyes to each side. Beneath this protrusion, there are what appear to be two slanted and moulded tendrils or grooves, which meet each other in a 'V' formation in the centre of the artefact. This moulded decoration appears to coincide with the bottom of the terminal being set at an approximate 50º angle/ slant. At the flat bottom of the artefact, there are two protruding knops, which may represent nostrils.

At the back of the terminal, most of the artefact appears in the form of an open D-shaped cavity where the iron stirrup would have originally fitted. The hollow cavity ends when the bottom of the artefact slants forwards as discussed above. There is no decoration at the back of the artefact and there is no evidence of iron or iron corrosion in the form of part of the stirrup or even any rivets. Overall, the stirrup terminal is in a worn but fair condition with a dark brown patina.

A similar example is illustrated in Williams, D, 1997, 'Finds Research Group 700 - 1700 Datasheet 24: Stirrup Terminals', page 2, fig 2a, which is described amongst of selection of similar artefacts as 'a group of distinctive but varying snub-nosed terminals, with prominent bulging brows, eyes and ears, lobed-ended tendrils, and smetimes flaring nostrils'. He also describes this type of stirrup terminal as being open-backed with a supporting ledge.