BUCKLE

A damaged but largely complete large late Roman cast copper-alloy openwork buckle plate with integral frame. The buckle is largely flat, but with bevelling to the upper surface on the outer edge of the frame and at points of decorative moulding on the sides and attachment end. There is also some internal bevelling on the internal face and sides of the outer edge of the otherwise plain kidney-shaped frame. The corroded remains of an iron pin remain in a central perforation at the frame end of the integral plate. The openwork plate features three central rectangular apertures (c. 14.5 by 6mm, but variable), with three circular holes (Dia.: c. 5.3mm) at either end, towards the frame and attachment end respectively. This is an elaborate arrangement on what is a relatively large buckle; similar arrangements with heart-shaped holes can be found on 'dolphin' buckles illustrated in Appels and Laycock (2007, 171). At the attachment end there is a bifid knop at each corner, with two other along the edge aligned with the bars between the rectangular apertures. A further two such knops can be found aligned with the transverse 'bar' between the circular holes at this end and the rectangular apertures. Finally, there is angular cusping to the sides alongside the circular holes at the frame end. In each corner of the plate is a rivet hole; three of these retain a copper-alloy rivet with hammered down terminal. The buckle has been bent slightly in profile and also diagonally in plan as a result of old damage. It now has an even dark-green patina. As already mentioned, this buckle is difficult to parallel as it is among the largest buckles to have a frame integral to an elaborate openwork plate. Examples illustrated in Appels and Laycock (2007, 230-31) tend to be smaller, less ornate, and with different shaped frames. The artefact is tentatively classified as a Hawkes and Dunning (1961, 21ff.) Type IIa buckle.