STRAP END

An early-medieval copper-alloy strap-end, classified as Thomas's (2003, 2) Class A, Type 1 (Trewhiddle style), slightly damaged at the attachment end. This would date the artefact to around the 9th century AD.

The strap-end is flat in profile. The plate expands from a width of 10.0mm the attachment end to a maximum width of 13.5mm at the base of the split. From this point it tapers consistently towards an animal head terminal (W.: 6.8mm). The upper half of the split attachment end survives intact, pierced twice, though neither rivet survives. It has also been bent upwards. The lower fold is also splayed, though it is heavily abraded with both rivet holes broken through.

The plate is unifacially decorated on the upper surface; the reverse is plain. The rivet holes are defined by curved incised lines. The zone below the attachment end is decorated with a trilobed palmette within a defined semicircular area. The central lobe of the palmette is decorated with fine striations which extend to top of the main field. The main field begins immediately below, before the widest point, with a zoomorphic design expanding into it, before narrowing, defined by incised line borders at the sides. The design is of an engraved beast whose head faces right (when viewing the strap-end with the animal head terminal lowermost). Before it is a raised three toed paw which rests against the border. Below the neck and shoulder the animal's body, hindquarters and tail degenerate into interlace which narrows as a closed two-strand plait design. In the upper part of the field the tail crosses the neck to terminate in the beast's open jaws. The animal's nose curls back on itself; it also has a punched eye and a defined ear, now obscured as a result of pitting.

The animal head at the terminal has ears with rounded tops and internal sides, defined by curved incisions and emphasised by crescentic punches at their tops. Below the ears are groups of diverging diagonally incised lines, though the snout beyond is obscured by further pitting.

The strap-end has a dark-grey patina. It is corroded and pitted at various points around the edges on the front, and more extensively on the back, especially at the attachment end. Some of this green corrosion product may be active bronze disease.