CHATELAINE

An incomplete cast copper alloy object, probably a chatelaine fragment of Early Medieval date. The object is long with slightly convex sides (so a long oval in side view), has a circular cross-section and bears incised decoration.

The object consists of a flattened rectangular suspension loop projecting from one end with a slightly raised circumferential collar where it meets the body of the object. From this point the body swells towards the centre before tapering again towards the base where a broken and worn knop-like projection is present. It is likely this lower element, when complete, was a second suspension loop from which other items, such as toilet implements, would be hung.

The body is decorated with eight parallel incised longitudinal ladder-style decorations and the collar bears incised marking which appear similar in form to the runic letters L and F. This could however be a coincidental association with the markings in fact being part of a larger decorative device. The metal has a dark blackish-brown patina and survives in good condition. The object is 55.5mm long, 8.5mm in diameter and weighs 13.2g.

Kevin Leahy, National Finds Advisor for Early-Medieval metalwork, suggests the most likely attribution for this object is part of a chatelaine. Sue Brunning, Curator of Early Medieval European Insular Collections at The British Museum, and Barry Ager, Curator of Continental Early Medieval Collections at The British Museum suggest that the ladder work cells appear to be mock cloisonné and while the incisions on the collar have a vague resemblance to runic letters this is unconvincing.
Sue Brunning also draws attention to this object's "resemblance to rod-like girdle hangers with decoration like several recorded on the PAS database e.g. DENO-D47455, although I concede, they are not utterly convincing parallels".