STRAP FITTING

A cast copper alloy strap fitting dating to the Late Iron Age / early Roman period, c. 70 BC - AD 50. The strap fitting is circular in plan with a sub-triangular cross section (flat based), with a rounded knop or 'button' protruding from the top of the fitting. The whole of the object has been silvered or tinned although little of this now survives. There is decoration around the external edge of the loop consisting of a thick central band (plain) bordered top and bottom by a concentric wavy-line (or soft zigzag) in raised relief. The top of the button is also decorated, bearing the remains of at least two tear-shaped patterns, each with a circle within, that join each other at the wider ends. On the neck of the button, on the outer edge of the hoop, is what appears to be a flower stem with flanking leaves, in moulded relief.

A number of these objects have been recorded on this database (see below). They are believed to be baldric or sword belt fasteners, and indeed some examples have been found in relation to swords. Commenting on another example (YORYM-6385E8), Jody Joy, Curator of Iron Age Collections at The British Museum, states that "the simple belt-ring is a relatively common find of Iron Age type and was presumably used as some form of belt fastener. The buttoned-ring is less common. Two similar rings were both deposited in association with iron swords at Coleford, Gloucestershire and Owslebury, Hampshire. Both of these swords were also found with belt-rings. It is therefore probable that the buttoned-ring and the belt-ring represent the metal remains of a belt used in the suspension of a sword". There are currently 18 other buttoned strap fittings recorded on this database. Those recorded as strap fittings are: SF-3C70B4; IOW-ADA233; ESS-1D1BC2; LIN-679A65; IOW-C3C8A6; SF-884DB4; SF-0FAB00 and YORYM-6385E8 (this last example is particularly elaborate retaining its coloured enamel). The following are recorded as baldrics: SUSS-913C68; SUSS-D82452; SUSS-4C9825; SUSS-4C9825; SUSS-913C68; YORYM-C1E845.