STRAP END

Description
Silver strap-end with incised zoomorphic designs, set against a niello background. The sides of the strap-end are of slightly convex form, and the border is notched to form a coarsely beaded band. The split attachment end has two circular rivet holes (one retaining its rivet), below which is a centrally placed, incised, trilobate palmette motif. There is a main centrally placed panel of two intertwined sinuous creatures with forelegs, heads in profile with single ears and dots for eyes, whose bodies have devolved into ribbon-like interlace. Each beast bites the body of the other. The strap-end terminates in a stylised animal head with circular ears; incisions around raised dots represent the eyes; there is a disjointed, stylized tribolate palmette motif on the brow. The back is plain. The strap-end reflects an abstract aspect of the Trewhiddle style of Anglo-Saxon ornamental metalwork of the second half of the ninth century.

The strap end has an overall length of 34.7mm, maximum width at the middle of 14.4mm, maximum thickness of 1.1mm and weight of 4.046g.

The surfaces show evidence of wear, and modern polishing. The strap-end has not undergone any cleaning or conservation.

Metal Content
To judge from its colour and weight and visual comparison with other silver strap ends and brooches in the collections of the Department of Archaeology & Numismatics, the alloy is well in excess of 10% silver.

Conclusions
Anglo-Saxon strap-ends occur in Wales in small numbers. The stylisation of the animals and other patterning show that this is Anglo-Saxon work of the late eighth or ninth century, belonging to the prolific Trewhiddle-style strap-ends of the first half of the ninth century, having the pointed motif in the base of each short, rounded ears (southern type) (Webster in Webster and Backhouse 1991, 233, cat. nos 191, 194; Thomas 2001). A fine silver and niello example decorated in similar Trewhiddle style was excavated at Llanbedrgoch, Anglesey in 2000 (a westernmost outlier of the type; NMW acc no. 2001.19H/6; TAR 2000, no. 46). Animal heads are used as terminals on a variety of metal mounts in this period, from edgings to spurs. A fine silver gilt mount from Goldcliff, probably appears to be part of a more complex knife scabbard fitting, is also decorated in Trewhiddle style. The broad form and proportions resemble that of a copper alloy strap end from Westmeston, Sussex (Webster and Backhouse 1991, no. 193).