BRIDLE BIT

An incomplete cast copper alloy, probable two link bridle bit of the Polden Hill sub type, of Late Iron Age to Early Roman dating (150 BC to c.43 AD).

The bit consists of one end of the mouthpiece, with a heavy collared terminal perforation. The simple cheekpiece rings would have been directly threaded through this perforation. The bit terminal has been decorated with by two converging incised lines, that start at the edge, converge together around the side of the bit and then diverge again on the other side. A potential central swelling could be present at the break in the bit.

The bit is a light to mid green colour with an even surface patina. Abrasion, caused by movement whilst within the plough soil, has resulted in the loss of some of the original surface.

The bit measures 40.28mm in length, 16.57mm wide and 17.28mm thick. It weighs 24.8 grams.

Comment from Adam Gwilt (Curator of Bronze Age and Iron Age Collections, National Museum Wales): This is likely to be from a two-link bridle bit of the Polden Hill sub-type. It is definitely not from a three-link or three-link derivative type bridle bit. One-link types remain rare and it is less likely that it is one of those.

The moulding on the ring end resembles the ears or wings on many of the two two-link bridle bits, best typified in the Polden hills hoard from Somerset (Brailsford, 1975, 225). The slight moulding on the side arm is also consistent with these. Secondly, looking at the size and length surviving, it seems that the widening at the break end is more consistent with a broken ring at right angles to the end ring, rather than a central moulding of a single link. The expansion on your piece seems directional rather than even all around the circumference, which suggests a ring over a moulding.

In dating terms, the associationd in the Polden hills and Santon haords suggest a first century AD date and Late Iron Age / Native style. A good recent discussion of bridle bits is given in Macdonald (2007), which lists 25-30 examples of the Polden Hill sub-type from Britain. While there are probably more on the PAS database, these are still reasonably rare.

References:
Brailsford, J.W. 1975 The Polden Hill Hoard, Somerset. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 41, 222-234.
MacDonald, P. 2007. Llyn Cerrig Bach; A Study of the Copper Alloy Artefacts from the Insular La Tene Assemblage. Cardiff. University of Wales Press.