RING

Cast copper alloy bucket mount in the form of a sitting duck. The duck sits on a large hoop measuring 25.62 in diameter (external), and 3.77mm thick. The hoop is D-shaped in cross-section and has a notably flattened area to the left side below the duck. The wear has reduced the hoop thickness to 2.30mm. The body of the duck is a pointed oval in plan, and convex in profile with a hollow body. The wings are defined by four inscised grooves on either side. Around the shoulders of the duck is another groove that is made up of four arches. Just before the tail there are two pairs of transverse grooves. The tail is oval, flat and decorated with a number of worn grooves representing the feathers. The eyes are represented by two large pellet-in-rings, and the top of the head is decorated with five diagonal grooves on either side. The beak is triangular in cross-section and slopes to a flattened terminal. The front of the beak has a transvese groove representing the mouth. The function of the ring is unknown.

Similar examples of hoops with ducks or other birds such as eagles are known, and all show wear at the base of the hoop suggesting that they were strapped down onto something. The parallels come from Claxby-by-Alford in Lincolnshire (Ambrose, 1978, p83 pl II), Gate Burton in Lincolnshire (LIN-54A031), and from Harkstead in Suffolk (SF8204); also see a fragmentary possible example from North Willingham (SWYOR-D15734). The Gate Burton ring shows an eagle that has feet extending into the hoop area, which shows that the objects were not used as finger rings or as staff mounts. Ducks are represented on a number of other Romano-British products such as brooches and mounts, and as such probably had religious significance.