STRAP END

Cast copper-alloy gilded strap-end, perhaps a book clasp. The dating of book clasps is very difficult and this example probably falls within the Late Medieval to Post-Medieval 1500-1770AD. Many book clasps date from the reformation from 1534 when many books were burned. The plate is rectangular and decorated circles of 8 punched pellets traces of gilding remain plain on reverse. The length is 20mm, width 15mm, thickness 2mm and the weight 1.23g. Book clasps are normally copper alloy sometimes silver. The hasp was a lot smaller than the clasp. The hasp was attached to the books metal edging. A number of book clasps of similar are recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database. Illustrated examples of book clasps have been published in monographs and journals. For example, see: Crummy, N. 1988. ‘The post-Roman small finds from excavations in Colchester 1971-85’. 68, fig. 67, refs. 2992-2995. Colchester Archaeological Report 5. Colchester Archaeological Trust. Margeson, S. 1993. ‘Norwich Households. Medieval and Post-Medieval Finds from Norwich Survey Excavations 1971-78’. 74, fig. 40, refs. 452-456. East Anglian Archaeology 58. Ottaway, P and Rogers, N. 2002. ‘Craft, Industry and Every Day Life: Finds From Medieval York’. 2936, fig. 1503, refs. 14489 and 15234. The Archaeology of York Vol. 17. An array of illustrated book clasps have been published in Treasure Hunting magazine. See: Bailey, D and Bailey, G. May 1991. ‘Clasps and Fasteners’. Treasure Hunting. 36-42. Witham, Essex.