MOUNT

An incomplete Medieval copper-alloy figurative Limoges mount dating c. AD 1150-1350.

The mount depicts the head and upper body of a robed male figure, probably a saint. The head is solid and oval with a flat reverse. The facial features are moulded with stylised eyes, mouth and long nose.  It has hemispherical recessions for eye sockets and one is complete with a raised pellet pupil. There are 3 parallel linear ridges running forward down the forehead representing hair. The neck is D-shaped in cross-section and narrows from the jaw  widening again prior to joining the sloping shoulders of the body. The body plate is sub-rectangular and concavo-convex in cross-section with a flat lower edge. The plate is perforated at the centre of the chest and off centre at the base with two circular attachment holes punched from front to back. The lower attachment hole is incomplete with a small area of the circumference and the central area of the plate missing. The complete attachment hole measures 3.42mm in diameter. 

The body plate is badly corroded with areas missing, but a draped robe passes over each shoulder, the left hand and arm appear bent up to the chest. The right arm rests down the right side of the body, with folds of drapery hanging to the flat lower edge of the plate. The lower corner of plate on the figures left side is missing with uneven breaks.

The reverse of the head and plate are undecorated. Notably when the head is viewed from the reverse it appears that it may contain a solid copper alloy core. The copper alloy plate depicting the facial features applied around it, is missing from the reverse of the head leaving uneven edges at the break. 

The surfaces have mottled light green and brown patination.

The mount measures 78.63mm long, 26.47mm wide and 1.5mm thick. It weighs 15.20 grams.

Discussion: similar examples, some gilded, recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database include BH-AB1036; YORYM-5F58E6, WAW-C78427, WILT-50FF8C, LVPL-D00327, DUR-F6A1EC and OXON-B25524 which notes that such figurines depicted saints or apostles, and were produced in Limoges between the late twelfth and early thirteenth century in order to be affixed to crucifixes and reliquaries.