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BRIDLE BIT
Unique ID: SF-BC3504
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An incomplete copper-alloy Anglo-Scandinavian or early medieval period cheekpiece. Cheekpieces have flat plates with centrally-placed projecting arms for attachment to a leather harness strap, they are used in pairs and each is pierced with a round hole through which the ends of the jointed iron bit projected. This example is part of a Williams type 1 cheekpiece (Williams 2007, unpublished).
Type 1 cheekpieces plates are decorated with engraved symmetrical strip-like creatures of late Viking Ringerike inspiration, their heads and bodies creating areas of openwork on each plate. One openwork side of this cheekpiece survives, and part of the central perforation for the bit also survives.
This incomplete example is oval in shape, 41.27mm in by 36.28mm externally and 18.95mm by 16.66mm internally. The copper-alloy has a reddish colour as do many objects of this date. The front face has an engraved thin body which curves into a head with an oval shaped eye, the engraved lines appear to have the remains of niello within them.
This example is very similar to a complete cheekpiece from Witcombe area, Gloucs. Which also has an inwards facing animal engraved on either side which curves around an openwork hole.
Class:
cheekpiece
Sub class: Williams Type 1
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1000
Date to: Circa AD 1100
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 46.28 mm
Width: 31.27 mm
Weight: 20.8 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 1st May 2007
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: finders reference; GG OH 7 97
Materials and construction
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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