Rights Holder: Norfolk County Council
CC License: 
Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
BOOK FITTING
Unique ID: NMS-8CD492
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Incomplete medieval copper alloy book clasp with an incomplete transverse hole at the end of an appoximately triangular animal-head terminal. This is long-snouted and has eyes formed from drilled holes that have penetrated to the flat rear. Between and immediately above the eyes a vertical hole, countersunk on the reverse, contains a rivet or rod whose ends now lie flush with both surfaces. Above this a curving rib decorated with transverse moulded grooves borders an aperture, the almost stright other side of which consists of the figure of a wyvern. The curving rib runs past both ends of the creature before arriving at ancient breaks. Beyond this there must have been a second aperture. The transverse and vertical holes indicate that this functioned in the same way as 14th- and 15th-century book clasp, but the style of the decoratio, in particular the wyvern, suggests a 12th-century date, cf. Geake 2005, 343, fig. 7 c and d. Length more than 34mm. Width 29.5mm. Thickness 2.5 - 4mm.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1100
Date to: Circa AD 1200
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 34 mm
Width: 29.5 mm
Thickness: 4 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Monday 8th October 2012 - Monday 8th October 2012
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference numbers
SMR reference number: 18871
Other reference: SB102012
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
Region: Eastern (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Norfolk (County)
District: King's Lynn and West Norfolk (District)
Parish or ward: Barton Bendish (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: TF7105
Four figure Latitude: 52.615846
Four figure longitude: 0.524387
1:25K map: TF7105
1:10K map: TF70NW
Grid reference source: From a paper map
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geake, H. | 2005 | Medieval Britain and Ireland in 2004: Portable Antiquities Scheme report | Leeds | Maney | 342 | fig. 7 c and d |
Similar objects
Find number: NMS-FD9EA5
Object type: BOOK FITTING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Medieval incomplete book clasp. Stylised animal-head terminal, with transverse hole, projects from a rounded end near which a vertical hole f…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: NMS-66B7D2
Object type: BOOK FITTING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Unusual medieval book clasp, strap-end with integral full-width spacer for missing front and back-plates with traces of solder on both faces …
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: GLO-8F1C22
Object type: BOOK FITTING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
A copper alloy book clasp made in a single piece. It has a trapezoid attachment plate, narrowing to a neck which flares again to a semi-circul…
Workflow: Published
Timeline of associated dates
About Us
About our Site
Find us
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG.
T: +44(0) 20 73238618