MOUNT

A cast copper alloy anthropomorphic head. Likely to be a vessel mount, from a bucket or bowl. The face is very worn, but lentoid eyes, and small protruding nose and a straight mouth can be seen. The ears protrude as small knops each side of the head. hair is indicated by a raised area connecting the ears. The reverse is flat, with a circular hollow 12mm in diameter. The break is situated below the 'neck' and is an uneven break. The base of the broken area is smooth and slightly concave, suggesting that the object is a handle attachment for a copper alloy vessel.

The head is 32mm long. 23mm wide, from ear to ear, and 20mm thick, from the back to the tip of the nose.

There is some debate over whether vessel mounts of this type are Iron Age or Medieval in date. This example in particular fuels that debate, as the eyes are lentoid in shape, typical of Iron Age anthropomorphic depictions, while the hair seems much more typically Medieval in style.

A similar mount is recorded by Richard Hattatt in Ancient Brooches and Other Artefacts (1989),page 429, Figure 65. In this article, Hattatt cites comparisons from Welwyn, Herts (Fox, C. 1958.Pl. 33b) and Gloucester (Powell, 1967, Fig. 235), and Ross, A. (1967), fig. 69 amongst others.

Professor Martin Henig, Research Fellow at Oxford University, has commented, stating: "....the hole at the back (possibly) to take the handle of a bucket like the circular piercings on the back of the rather different escutcheons on the Aylesford and Baldock buckets (cf. I.M.Stead, 'The reconstruction of Iron Age buckets from Aylesford and Baldock', pp.250-278 and figs 1 and 4. in G. de G. Sieveking, 'Prehistoric and Roman Studies commemmorating the opening of the department of Prehistoric and Romano-British Antiquities' (British Museum 1971). For other iron age heads with lentoid eyes see M.Henig, 'An anthropomorphic fitting' [from Castle Gotha], Cornish Archaeology 21 (1982) pp.146-7, fig.18 no.1 a linch pin in the form of a human bust and also note the head from Chalton,Hants [Henig in Proc Hants Field Club 33 (19760 pp.62-3 no.4 which...I now believe to be Late Iron Age or early Roman not late Roman". He also cites: "M. Henig, 'The bronze head', p.71 and fig 42 in G. Hughes, The excavation of a late prehistoric and Romano-British settlement at Thornwell Farm, Chepstow, Gwent,1992, BAR Brit.ser 244 (1996)".

However, Dr. Kevin Leahy, PAS National Finds Advisor for Early Medieval Metalwork, cites an example in John Cherry's 'Medieval Decorative Art' British Museum Press 1991, p 41, fig. 53, stating "a 15th century laver, the handle of which is fitted into very similar lugs. The hair style also fits better into the Medieval period".

Dr. James Robinson and Dr. Helen Geake also agree that this object is of a Medieval date.

Dr. Ralph Jackson of the British Musuem agrees with his Medievalist counterparts, stating that this object is not of a Roman date.

This record has therfore been given a broad date of Iron Age to Medieval, to reflect both points of view, but it should be noted that the generally agreed upon date for this particular Bronze vessel mount is 15th century.