BUCKLE

A slightly incomplete cast copper alloy sub-rectangular framed buckle with attached buckle plate, dating to the Medieval period, between AD 1250 – 1450 (overall length: 27.5mm; width at buckle: 25.5mm; thickness at buckle: 6.5mm; weight: 8.1g).

The buckle frame is sub-rectangular in plan (with a slightly curved outside edge) and rectangular in side section. There is a protruding knob/ pin platform (length: 3mm; width: 3.5mm) in the centre of the outside edge of the buckle frame, which continues down the thickness of the buckle. At the top of these knob/ platform, there are two parallel and incised lines slightly slanting inwards towards the rounded terminal of this feature. There is no other decoration on the buckle frame. The bar is offset and narrowed to house the attached buckle plate. Additionally, the cast copper alloy is present and attached around the bar. The tip of the pin, however, is slightly missing and results in the pin terminating a little short of the knob/ pin platform where it would have originally rested.

The slightly incomplete cast copper alloy attached buckle plate is sub-rectangular in plan and flat in side section. The plate, which is not recessed for the buckle frame, is folded around the buckle bar with a small rectangular recess in the centre for the pin. The front of the plate is ornately decorated crude linear decoration occurring in rows across the artefact’s width with designs as detailed below (starting at the end nearest the buckle frame to the opposing end):
 One slightly recessed linear line.  One linear of small incised linear markings running lengthwise (approximately 30-35 markings in total).  Two lines of crudely formed zig-zag decoration, with one line slightly higher and raised than the other.  One linear of small incised linear markings running lengthwise (approximately 15 markings visible in total in between the two rivets).  One line of crudely formed zig-zag decoration.

There are two rivet holes with a complete cast copper alloy rivet remaining, which interrupt some of the linear decoration that occurs on the front of the buckle. Additionally, there is no decoration on the buckle plate to either side of the recess for the pin. The back of the buckle plate has an incomplete, corroded and rounded terminal, which terminates halfway from the end of the plate’s front side. There is no decoration on the back .

Similar examples are illustrated in Egan, G & Pritchard, F, 2002, ‘Medieval Finds from Excavations in London: 3: Dress Accessories c. 1150 – c. 1450’, pages 95-6, figs 60-1.