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HARNESS FITTING
Unique ID: DUR-F177C2
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An incomplete copper alloy harness fitting from the Roman period (AD43-410).
The object is in the form of a hollow doughnut-shaped bead with a fairly wide aperture ansd curved 'D' shaped sides. The bead's perforation is vertical, straight-sided, and heavily worn, possibly indicating prolonged use.
A large assemblage of these harness fittings are recorded as coming from the River Tees at Piercebridge Roman Fort (Walton 2021, p105). Described as copper-alloy beads, Walton (ibid) notes that while their exact function remains unknown, they are likely "to have an association with horse harness, either as spacers on harness or as rein weights.". The assembalge includes (but is not limited to) BH-F4A6F8, BH-F3E3B4, BH-F3E0DE, BM-ED1222, and BM-ECEEA4 (the latter illustrated by: Walton 2021, p105, Fig. 7.6A). Those from Piercebridge have been dated from the late 2nd century onwards (ibid, p106).
Reference:
Walton, P., 2021. Equine Equipment and Other Objects Associated with Transport, in: Eckardt, H., Walton, P.J. (Eds.), Bridge over Troubled Water: The Roman Finds from the River Tees at Piercebridge in Context, Britannia Monograph Series 34. Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, London, pp. 96–107.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 43
Date to: Circa AD 410
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Width: 13.46 mm
Weight: 7.6 g
Diameter: 19.51 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Wednesday 29th September 2021 - Wednesday 29th September 2021
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: R575
Materials and construction
Spatial metadata
Region: North East (European Region)County or Unitary authority: County Durham (Unitary Authority)
District: County Durham (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Chilton (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: NZ2828
Four figure Latitude: 54.64633657
Four figure longitude: -1.56762185
1:25K map: NZ2828
1:10K map: NZ22NE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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