BUCKLE

A Post Medieval complete cast copper alloy double loop buckle frame with buckle plate attached, dating from AD 1550 to AD 1650. The buckle and buckle plate are complete. The pin is missing. The buckle frame is in the form of two oval loops with four knops on the outer edges. At either end of the strap bar is a knop in the form of the front of a human head. The front of the frame has a moulded scroll decoration; the reverse is undecorated. The buckle plate is folded around the central strap bar of the buckle frame. The shape of the buckle plate resembles a fish tail with wavy outer edges; it is decorated with fine lines and has a scroll decoration at the point where it wraps around the strap bar. There is a rivet hole at either end of the plate, where a single rivet would have passed; iron-stain traces left by the rivet are present.The buckle and plate both have a pale green surface patina; there are two breaks at the top and bottom of the frame. The buckle decoration is similar in style to WMID-601257, dated to c.AD 1550 to AD 1650. A buckle frame, also with anthropomorphic decoration, is illustrated in Whitehead (2003), p 68, number 427. A similar 'fish tail' buckle plate is illustrated in Whitehead (2003) p68, number 423.

The buckle frame measures: Length: 34.45 mm; Width: 24.46 mm; Thickness: 2.78 mm. The buckle plate measures Length: 32.76 mm, Width: 14.49 mm; Thickness: 1.94mm. Together they measure: Length: 44.80 mm; Width: 24.46 mm; Thicknes: 6.74 mm. Total weigt: 9.21g.