BUCKLE

A cast copper alloy buckle has a D-shaped frame with an integral spacer and seperate plates. The buckle frame is a sub ‘D’ shape in plan. On the outer edge of the apex, there is a small knop which is triangular in section. The outer surface of the frame is obliquely angled, whereas the reverse is flat. The pin is missing. Integral to the strap bar is a forked spacer. There are two arms to the spacer, however the majority of these arms are hidden by two rectangular copper alloy plates. The narrow terminal of the plates, oppsote the frame is shaped into a ‘’W’ shape as decoration. At this terminl there is a rivet hole in each plate with a copper lloy rivet holding the plates together. The surface of the buckle frame and plates has a dark brown patina. The buckle and plates measures 40.16mm long and 23.79mm wide. It weighs 6.2g.

Margeson (Margeson, S. 1993 Norwich Households: Medieval and Post Medieval Finds From Norwich Survey, Excavations 1971-78. East Anglian Archaeology 58) illustrates a similar example, No. 137 and dates this to the 14th century. Egan and Pritchard (Egan G. and Pritchard F. 2002 Dress Accessories Boydell Press) illustrate similar buckles with integral spacers (Nos. 322 to 330) which are dated to the mid 14th to early 15th century.