HARNESS PENDANT

This copper alloy harness pendant consists of an openwork frame with an inner, separate, flower shaped pendant. The frame has an overall length of 37mm, a width of 13mm, is 3.86mm thick and is subcircular in plan, extending at one end into a rectangular neck, which is 7.8mm of the overall length. At the top of the neck is a suspension loop, 6.94mm long, placed 90 degrees transverse to the frame. Beneath the suspension loop is a drilled hole containing a copper alloy pin from which hangs the inner pendant. Beneath the pinhole, on either side, is a single raised line placed as decoration. Similarly, around the frame are six, regularly spaced pairs of raised lines forming a v’, with the pointed end facing inwards towards the pendant. The inner edge of the frame is shaped to accommodate the six petalled flower shape of the inner pendant with its neck. The inner pendant has an overall length of 25.38mm, 13mm of which is the flower. The flower has a diameter of 13mm and is formed from six triangular shapes with domed ends placed side by side. In the centre of the flower is a pierced hole which holds a globular copper alloy stud with a diameter of 5mm, which also protrudes on the reverse side of the pendant. The neck of the pendant is subrectangular. The patina of the pendant is dark brown. Traces of gold gilt survive on the front of the neck of the inner pendant, on the bottom of the front of the frame, with a fair amount surviving on the flower itself. It probably dates to the 14th century. See reed, 2001, Metal artefacts of antiquity volume 1, page 58, figure 37, number 470 for a similar pendant, but with a cross shape.