MOUNT

A fragment from a cast copper alloy object, possibly a mount, of zoomorphic form. The object preserves a short section from the tail of either a mythical beast or perhaps a fish or Dolphin, the remainder of the creature is missing due to old breaks. The tail has a flattened oval shaped section and a flat back. It curves upwards in an S-shaped form, folding back on itself and ending in a large decorative terminal. The terminal comprises a central pointed section that is triangular in plan and a simple extension of the tail. To either side of this are incised grooves followed by sub-rectangular shaped plates that resemble fins. These have distinctive U-shaped moulding at either end and are U-shaped in section. At their outer edges are single incised grooves. The lower of the two 'fins' is attached to the main trunk of the tail but demarcated throught the presence of an incised groove on both top and bottom surfaces. The upper fin perhaps has traces of decorative moulding on its exterior edge, although this may simply be the result of old damage. There is seemingly no other decoration on any of the surfaces. The entire objet measures 26.32mm in width, 30.22mm in height, 4.04mm in thickness, and weighs 9.11g. No clear parallel for this object has been identified. It is clearly from the tail end of an animal or sea creature of some kind, although precisely what this may have been remains uncertain. It does not appear to be of Medieval date, so might plausibly belong to the Roman or Post-Medieval periods.