Rights Holder: St. Albans District Council
CC License: 
Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
STRAP END
Unique ID: BH-01FED0
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
An incomplete copper-alloy strap-end of Medieval date.
The piece represents the projecting end from a socketed strap-end. It is of thin section, flat on the underside, and takes the form of three equal-sized discs, arranged in an inverted-sub-triangular formation. The surface of each of these discs is concave and has been incised with a number of parallel, angled grooves, probably designed to catch the light. This effect would have been enhanced by the addition of a now-corroded white metal coating. At the top of the piece is a remnant of the short arm that would have joined this projecting portion to the strap socket. On each of its two angled sides, a short arm of moulded swirls extends from the upper right and left hand discs, respectively, to the single disc at the base, creating two small openwork elements.
Dimensions: 34.2mm long, 33.5mm wide, 2.3mm thick. Weight: 8.46g.
A complete parallel for this strap end was found at Chenies, Buckinghamshire (PAS record BUC-1B9DE3). The socketed end of the Chenies example was incised with a Black Letter 'M', the use of which points towards a Late Medieval date.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1300
Date to: Circa AD 1500
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 34.2 mm
Width: 33.5 mm
Thickness: 2.3 mm
Weight: 8.46 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Saturday 13th October 2012
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference numbers
Other reference: Ver 12/159 - 35
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
Region: Eastern (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Essex (County)
District: Uttlesford (District)
To be known as: Thaxted
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
Similar objects
Find number: BH-56F716
Object type: STRAP END
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
A copper-alloy composite strap-end of Medieval date.
The strap-end comprises two equal-sized plates, separated from each other by a spacer…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: BH-38C529
Object type: STRAP FITTING
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
A copper-alloy strap fitting/strap-end with hooked terminal, dating from the Medieval period.
The object has been made from two equal-size…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: HESH-2711E1
Object type: STRAP END
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
An incomplete cast copper alloy strap end broken into two pieces of later medieval date (1300-1500). The break is old and eroded and the two …
Workflow: Awaiting validation
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