Rights Holder: Somerset County Council
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STIRRUP
Unique ID: SOM-760FAD
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
A cast copper-alloy stirrup-strap mount of late early-medieval to medieval date (c. late 11th century AD). This tapering pear-shaped mount can be classified as a Williams Class A, Type 10A mount, based on its decoration in the English Urnes style.
It is solid, of a hollow convex form with a common right angle flange at its base (Type A, Williams 1997, 25), solid and offset at the sides.The base of the mount's front has been perforated twice, with the two iron rivets surviving corroded in situ. Opposite the base is the rounded apex loop which similarly retains an iron rivet corroded in place. Between the two is the Urnes-style ornament in low relief depicting a coiled serpent-like beast whose head with round eyes is towards the apex of the mount, viewed in plan. Its body bifurcates at a spiral hip joint; the body continues in a series of loops and terminates in a scroll to the left of the hip. Possibly two secondary snake-like forms intertwine with the main beast.
Other examples can be found illustrated in Williams (1997, 54; fig. 36, especially no. 179). This mount has an even red-brown patina, overlain by light-green corrosion product on the reverse.
Class:
strap mount
Sub class: Williams Class A, Type 10A
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Ascribed Culture:
Anglo-Scandinavian style
Date from: Circa AD 1070
Date to: Circa AD 1100
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 50.7 mm
Height: 12.4 mm
Width: 28.6 mm
Weight: 26.73 g
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: SCC receipt 16721
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Secondary material: Iron
Manufacture method: Cast
Decoration style: Zoomorphic
Completeness: Complete
Spatial metadata
Region: South West (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Somerset (County)
District: West Somerset (District)
To be known as: Bicknoller CP
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams, D. | 1997 | Late Saxon Stirrup-Strap Mounts: A Classification and Catalogue | York | CBA Research Report 111 | 25, 54 | 179 |
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Timeline of associated dates
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