CHAPE

Cast copper alloy fitting in the form of a dragon head. The terminal is an elongated rectangular snout ending in circular nostrils, above this is a raised area around the circular eyes and above this semi circular ears. Behind the ears it thins and widens slightly to form the trapezoid neck which ends in a curved, probably broken edge with the remains of circular rivet holes, one to each side. In profile the dragon head, prominent brow ridge and ears are in relief. The back is concave with a deeply indented triangular groove; the lower (pointed) end of the groove ends before the terminal and there is a slightly raised pellet on the back below the end of the groove; the upper end is open. In addition to the rivet holes there is a separate, incomplete, copper-alloy, circular rivet remaining running through the dragons head between the ears ending in an old break at the back where it does not project above the sides of the groove. There was also possibly a second rivet through the centre of the neck although the hole, if it was one, is now filled by corrosion. There is an indented lozenge design on the snout and on the neck. The metal is red with thick green and cream corrosion products in places; at some points this corrosion deposit is so thick that it creates projecting knops. It is 36.7mm long, 13.6mm wide and 7.8mm thick; it weighs 8.91 grams.

No exact parallel could be found for this item in the usual sources. While it is similar in some respects to 11th century stirrup terminals it is much less robust and the rivet and rivet holes suggest it was attached to wood or leather. The indents, triangular groove on the back suggest it was attached either to the end of a scabbard or possibly a thick strap; it could also possibly have been mounted on an object such as a casket. LEIC-FE6347, SUSS-46F1D7 and IOW-C1B525 are all slightly similar in being narrow scabbard chapes although with different designs; however they all have back plates, mostly integral whereas this appears to have too irregular a lower edge to fit a back plate. It is probably 11th to 13th century in date.