HARNESS PENDANT

A cast copper-alloy Roman harness pendant of a type generally dated to the 3rd century. It is flat with a broken transverse suspension loop at the top. Below the loop it has a kite-shaped upper body with a very elongated lower point. The upper part is decorated on the front with two incised lines marking out a lozenge shape with the loop at the top point. The lower point tapers gradually to a rounded knop at the terminal which projects above the front of the pendant. About half way down this extended point it widens into an oval shape with two incised lines in a chevron on the front. The reverse of the object is flat and plain. The object has a mid-grey patina that largely survives; within the pitting and grooves is light-brown corrosion product. It is 38.0mm long, 17.0mm wide and 2.7mm thick; it weighs 3.1 grams.

This type of pendant is generally associated with the Syrian site of Dura Europos, but is found across the empire with many examples recorded on this database and in the literature (e.g. Bishop & Coulston 1993, 156; refs. 12, 14, 16; Appels & Laycock 2007, 121; refs. AA14.24, AA14.25). The terminal on more finely moulded examples is phallic, a shape only crudely indicated on this exmaple by the terminal and oval expansion.