NAIL CLEANER

An incomplete copper alloy nail cleaner strap end (it could have been either or both), dating from the late Roman period.

Only part of the middle of the nail cleaner survives. It tapers at both ends, but the apex is nearer one end than the other, giving a narrow end and a wider end. It is not clear at which end was the suspension loop or the forked working end. The upper surface of the probably 'leaf-shaped' body is decorated with an incised pattern which comprises a punched dot border, an incised bird, probably a peacock, and other rows of punched crescents. The bird is facing towards the narrower end. Its tail and back are missing due to the break at the wider end. It has a triangular body with herringbone pattern lines representing feathers. two legs extend from the body and terminate in three toed feet. A prominent ring and dot punch marks the eye which fills most of the head which is carried low. There is a tapering thin beak and a crown of incised crescents. In front of the bird is a vertical row of six punched crescents, and beyond that, a horizontal row of six similar crescents. Further crescents line the inside of the dotted borders. The reverse is plain and the breaks are patinated.

BH-C2CAE4 is a nail cleaner decorated with a fish, but the discussion is relevant: "The form and decoration of this piece can be compared to the series of late Roman 'nail-cleaner strap-ends', as discussed by Eckardt and Crummy (2006). [...] The fish-decorated examples form part of a group bearing Christian iconography, other represented designs being a Chi-Rho symbol, a griffin, and a peacock next to the 'tree of life'. The religious symbolism employed on these pieces strongly suggests that they date from the mid 4th century onwards; this dating is reinforced by contextual evidence provided by a number of Eckardt and Crummy's examples from excavated sites (ibid. 90)." Compare also GLO-952CA5 which is decorated with a peacock, as is DENO-3A0D52, NARC-DF98F1, BUC-DB7A84 and HAMP-F2D772.