HARNESS FITTING

A complete cast copper alloy harness fitting in the form of a terret of triple projections, of Late Iron Age or Early Roman date (200 BC – 100 AD). Length: 66.0mm; width: 51.1mm and 18.4mm thick. Weight: 49.28g. In plan the terret comprises an oval-shaped loop with an integral bar and three decorative projections. The inner face of the loop is evenly convex and the outer face has a distinct median carination. The bar is very slightly curved in plan, is rectangular in cross-section, and measures 21.2mm x 8.1mm x 5.1mm, although all four of its longer edges are slightly rounded. At each end of the bar there is a prominent stop to accommodate a harness strap. The stops are sub-oval in cross-section having a length of 18.0mm, a width of 15.2mm and a thickness of 5.1mm. The inner face of each stop is flat and the outer face is convex. However, where the stops join the loop there is a minor circumferential depression. The outer face of the loop has three similar and evenly spaced projections, the central one of these being opposite the bar. Each projection is a quatrefoil-shaped and measures about 16.5mm x 14.0mm. At the centre of the quatrefoil is a deep cell forming an inverted cone. This feature has a depth of 3.4mm and a maximum diameter of about 6.0mm. The cell probably contained decorative material. Each cell is now empty and there is no evidence for the existence for any decorative or adhesive material. Each foil tapers and bends outwards and downwards so that the tip is integral with the loop. However, the tips of two of the foils do not quite make contact with the loop and this anomaly appears to be an accidental result of the casting process, rather than forming part of the artefact’s design. The outer face of each foil has a border in the form of a narrow groove which encloses between one and three transverse crescent-shaped depressions. The outer face of the loop, either side of the median carination, has a grooved border which encloses curvilinear grooves consisting of two conjoined arcs with their curves facing inwards. These grooves, as well as the aforementioned grooves, were probably incised and the crescent-shaped depressions were probably formed during the casting process. The object is largely in fair condition and has a shiny khaki-green patina. The patina is particularly shiny on the inner face of the loop and the inner face of the bar, and may represent wear caused by a harness strap. The object is generally worn, making it very difficult to see some of the grooved decoration. Patches of active bronze disease are present and the object requires urgent conservation treatment. The recorder was unable to find an analogy for the unusual shaped projections. Terrets have a cast copper-alloy hoop, and can have an iron or cast-in-one copper-alloy bar. Excavated vehicles (chariot, cart or both) have a full set of four ordinary terrets plus one larger one with a curved bar (see illustration in Stead 1996, pl. 87). Four seem to have been put along the yoke, one for each rein for a pair of horses; the use of the larger terret is still a little mysterious (Stead 1991, 58-61).